Limited edition "Black 'n Blue" colour vinyl.

Auckland, New Zealand post-punk group return to Trouble In Mind for their follow-up to 2021’s eponymous debut with a ten track socio-political burner addressing our collective spiritual chaos that pulls influence from across the history of punk and permeates it into something decidedly Aotearoan and uniquely their own in ways that are both personal and universal.

The album explodes right out of the gate with the caffeinated, buzzing riffs of “Chad and Stacey” before dialing back the maelstrom for “Pit Viper”s steady bop that lies in contrast to its haunted lyrics confronting time and memory loss.

“Manic Attraction” features consistent strum and addictively memorable riffs and gang vocals about toxic conspiracy theories and their effect on society, with Campbell’s sly rhythmic shifts adding a subtle complexity to the proceedings.

“Metal Fingers”’ triumphant squall cascades outward next, its siren-like guitar reaching near-shoegaze levels of controlled chaos. “Bleak Park” closes out side one, a slow-burner that ebbs n flows like the tide, before crescendoing into a scathing guitar solo at the end.

“Com Trans” opens the second side, its lock-step swing and shouted vocals calling to mind Roger Miller and Co’s best work, particularly as Burton shouts “A New Day” repeatedly near the song’s end. “Nightmare Town”s melancholic, caffeinated twang confronts obsessions with multi-level marketing, the solipsism of hustle culture, and the cult-like behavior of crypto influencers.

“Untied, United” is a moody jammer about the loss of a loved one, and the idea of a soul dispersing thru the universe like radio waves. Its insistent rhythmic pulse fades into “Shimmer”s nostalgic, flanged-out guitar riffs that would make both The Cure AND The Pixies jealous.

“Ground Swell” closes out the album in the same nervous stutter it started with; an urgent guitar and drum beat that leads into an acid-burn shuffle punctuated by a blackened bridge section before collapsing onto a spiraling guitar riff.