86TVs has released their self-titled debut album, which features songs that palpably exude experience and songwriting ambition. The band consists of ex-The Maccabees members Hugo and Felix White, their brother Will, and drummer Jamie Morrison (Stereophonics, Jamie T). Despite taking time to release new music, the band’s debut album is everything-and-the-kitchen-sink collection and packs a powerful punch.
The album is a rich meal filled with soaring dream pop, spritely noughties-style indie, and ornate art rock. The frequent changes in approach make it difficult to grasp its creators’ personality. The album’s creators are mercurial in their approach, which is a result of several weak straightforward rock tracks that lack structural rigour. The lengthy runtime of the album makes it even more difficult to maintain the musical focus of the listener.
The album kicks up several gears with emotionally resonant mini-epics. 86TVs have a knack for constructing tracks that gradually swell to become infernos, which is a signature of their latter albums as The Maccabees. The band’s lyrical sentiments feel ultra-contemporary in their combination of fragility and optimism. The emotional throughline is clear in their impactful emotions, such as in ‘Komorebi’, which is a beautiful track that tugs on the heartstrings with its gentle brushed drums and sincere lyrical sentiments. The euphoric, club-channelling ‘Higher Love’ recalls Arcade Fire at their most energised.
86TVs needs strict editing nous in future efforts for the band’s soulful identities to bleed through the compositional fabric. There is evidence in this confident debut that this band can go on to do great things. The album was released on August 2, 2024, by Parlophone
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