[9/10]
Pennsylvania four-piece Title Fight will be releasing their third full-length album Hyperview on ANTI- Records on February 3rd. As on most of their earlier releases, Title Fight worked with well-loved producer Will Yip. Since it has been three years since they released their critically acclaimed album Floral Green, the new album has been eagerly anticipated by fans. Upon first listens, Hyperview proves a clear departure from the band’s earlier work. They have moved away from their established angsty, punk style, towards a more chilled, shoegaze-esque sound, filled with distorted guitars and airy vocals. Prior to its official release, the album was available for streaming on NPR’s website.
The album opens with the morose ‘Murder Your Memories,’ which helps set the tone. It is immediately clear that singer Jamie Rhoden has adopted a dreamier, quiet vocal style compared with the shout-singing style that dominated their earlier releases. Next up is ‘Chlorine,’ which was released as a single accompanied by a music video in early December. In ‘Chlorine,’ the guitar parts are quite dissonant and contrast the ethereal, melodic vocals. This theme of duality continues throughout the album. This is particularly evident on ‘Hypernight,’ which alternates in tone between peacefully oceanic and yearning. One of the absolute highlights of the album is ‘Rose of Sharon,’ which mixes dreamy guitar tones with urgent drum rhythms and Rhoden’s patent shouted singing. The final track, ‘New Vision,’ is short and fast-paced, bringing Hyperview to a dynamic close.
It is a well-known fact that fans often complain when bands change their musical style. It is also true that Hyperview represents quite a stylistic departure from the band’s earlier work. However, this departure shows that Title Fight have matured musically and are capable of playing different styles well. The new sound might also help the band expand their fan-base outside of the punk realm. Overall, the album has fantastic continuity; each song leads into the next in a way that is aurally pleasing. There isn’t a weak track on the album. With Hyperview, Title Fight have established themselves as a band who continue to innovate and improve.
The band will be touring the US extensively in support of the new album with Power Trip, La Dispute, and several other fantastic bands, before heading over to Europe. They will be playing several UK dates in May, most notably a headlining spot at Outbreak Festival in Leeds.
