Capsule Reviews (October 2026 – Love Rarely, Interpol, sueter7…)

It’s been a good while since I did a Capsule Reviews piece on the list of albums I managed to listen to over the course of this year. I’m thinking that I’ll do 12 pieces for a start before covering more next month. I have a lot more records to deal with so unless there’s one impressive enough release that warrants a full review (one that passes as a 5 out of 5 most likely), I would expect the rest of the reviews for this year to be more compressed. That being said, there’ll be a short Halloween post that will look into the subgenre of horror games that rely on shock values and transgressions with one example – Sad Satan.exe.

Love Rarely – Pain Travels (10 April 2026)

Love Rarely is a British post-hardcore band from Leeds who stands out from their peers through their screamo vocal performance from singer Courtney Levitt along with the uncommon time signatures from math rock. A good bit of hype built from their 2024 extended play Lonely People along with grassroots support from the band members’ past experiences playing in other local bands fuel the hype around Pain Travels. The debut album’s twangy instrumental with its intricate syncopation and sharp start-stop structures make for a compelling listen. The key issue is that Levitt’s vocals, fitting as it is in conveying the trauma of being within toxic families and adulthood stress, is too bellowing in contrast to the background. And it is because of its dominant presence within the album that it acts like an anchor that keeps the ship too still for its good. Given that Levitt and lead guitarist and backing vocalist Lewis Taylor namedropped La Dispute as a key influence, knowing when to drop the screams in favour of ordinary singing could work if it adds to the complex technical appeal. 1.9/5

Rhododendron – Ascent Effort (15 May 2026)

Another math rock band from Oregon of the United States, Rhododendron were initially a group of high schoolers who signed with noted indie record label the Flenser for extra success. Their style drew them a solid local following which in turn makes for a rocket to build towards music as their aspirational career. Ascent Effort marks their latest release five years after their debut Protozoan Battle Hymns and it carries in itself the kind of aggression that’s dependent on its instrumentals as its bloodstream. It does however suffer from how indulgent its aggression comes across as and while its bites are not to be underestimated, it comes off as limited in how it expresses its atmosphere with subtle differences. It lacks the divergent tensions that could be felt in Slint’s Spiderland, it doesn’t enjoy the dynamism of Sweep the Leg Johnny, and it feels hollow in its vague vocals compared to This Heat. Simply put, Rhododendron knows how to rip but they don’t know how to rip in a way that keeps you on your seat. 2/5

Estoy Bien – A la distancia (29 September 2026)

Estoy Bien are among one of the upcomers within Chile as part of its Nueva escena chilena with their debut album Apoyo Emocional being released with noted traction in 2023. They might not be as seismic in their direction as Hesse Kassel’s post-punk fervour, but they know how to make their fandom feel their music through their blend of emo and pop punk. A la distancia carries the kind of energy that you don’t always notice in that there’s authenticity to it. The Spanish singing might make for a difficult (or rewarding if you know it) listen, but you can tell from the inflection that there’s a heartbreak that reverberates previously from the Hotelier or the Wonder Years. Be it romance or ageing, Estoy Bien’s conventionality makes for a puzzle that would be appreciated only by the most open-minded of emo fans. Its bouts of intensity however are most certainly welcome for those who want to itch their angsty heart out while the opportunity presents itself. 3.6/5

Interpol – This Mirror Weighs a Ton (28 August 2026)

Interpol is a name many should be familiar with if New York is among their favourite melting pots for music. It consists mostly of vocalist and guitarist Paul Banks, most recognisable from his baritone singing; another guitarist Daniel Kessler, whose skills compliment the rhythm of the style; and drummer Sam Fogarino, a veteran with a relatively unflashy kind of playing that forms the bedrock of the band. The trio spent much of their career in the shadow of their acclaimed 2002 debut Turn on the Bright Lights which shapes much of indie rock to this day with one of its key highlights being its former bassist Carlo Dengler’s riveting lead-like performance. 24 years have passed and with both a wealth of experience from more studio releases and with added members in keyboardist Brandon Curtis and a new bassist Brad Truax, the fivesome conjured up what could be best described as a noteworthy comeback to notable quality. This Mirror Weighs a Ton extends its arm towards dreamy reverbs and a more creative kind of production that breathes new life into the veterans who seemed to have hit their home run a bit too early. It’s not as well-gelled as the Cure’s second leash at creative zeitgeist just under two years ago, but it’s one that will keep many in touch. 3.7/5

L’Rain – fata morgana (14 August 2026)

L’Rain is a Brooklyn-based project of Taja Cheek whose diverse influences are driven by production-heavy manipulation of samples and vocals. A decent streak of studio releases beginning with a 2017 self-titled debut sets her up with a steady stream of critical acclaim, touring with bigger names like LCD Soundsystem, and even curatorial roles outside of music-making. fata morgana marks her newest release where she carries on with her more psychedelic approach. Its studio-as-an-instrument direction allows the album to stand out as a magical listen at first as you take note of its clarity and maximalist use of samples. Its impressiveness however would soon wear out as its ambition makes for a case where the music comes off as an instance of “all that glitters is not gold.” Its dense impression gives way to a seemingly hollow broadness in its theme which makes it an entirely aesthetical prospect. This is one for the producers at best. 1.9/5

Promo x Cierre – Cómo conseguir wachas (17 August 2026)

Promo x Cierre are an Argentinean hip hop act that’s only been founded shortly before this year at the minimum. However, they have been on the rise thanks to their largely fun emceeing, punchy production, and a bit of patriotic love for the home country. Cómo conseguir wachas marks their first full studio release a few months following their self-titled EP and there’s a lot about the album that makes for an enjoyable listen if you enjoy Spanish music. The beats are soulful and the rapping is passionate in a way that is going to remind newfound listeners of the late MF DOOM’s apex as the abstract overlord. Granted, it is simply an above-average kind of record that is more focused on delivering the entertainment value than in pushing its genre to the extreme in whatever direction it wants to go. It might not be the most unique record in the country, but it doesn’t have to be. All it has to be is to be the kind of record that many fans could enjoy. 2.8/5

Atomicboy – Monologue (14 October 2026)

Atomicboy is one of the many, many YouTube-exclusive music artists that will take a good while for you to stumble upon should you use the site as your avenue for new artists. Monologue is made as an entirely instrumental record that’s broadly electronic at heart and it’s made entirely out of the artist’s own interest rather than for a specific goal or interest. If we are going to be more specific about it, it is a more rudimentary kind of dance tune with a broad style ranging from drum and bass to techno with notable influences from Aphex Twin and Squarepusher. It is not the most original work in the world and you shouldn’t honestly expect it to have boundary-pushing materials. I do not enjoy it at all honestly speaking, but the diversity makes for a strength that could be tempered with into a more unique window. Should the artist want to get serious in the future, I would hope that they will find a merging point to make a punchy and enticing piece out of what they’ve shown in this record. 1.3/5

Angine de Poitrine – Vol.II (3 April 2026)

Hana Stretton – Tiarn (7 August 2026)

Hana Stretton is an Australian singer-songwriter specifically from Canberra whose style stood out more for its ambience with field recordings being around for major immersion. Casual listeners of her are most likely going to be familiar with her signature single ‘The Thrill of Loneliness’ back in 2016 which carries the serenity rarely felt aside of Masakatsu Takagi’s Kagayaki in 2014 or Just Another Diamond Day by Vashti Bunyan in 1970. Tiarn is actually Stretton’s sophomore album with her debut being 2023’s Soon; the record finds itself swimming in its scintillating acoustic instrumentation like British post-rockers caroline. It doesn’t rely on its lyricism or even its vocals so much as it does depend on its soothing texture to leave you enchanted with its naturalism. And it is a gorgeous listen! It’s hard to verify if it’s truly as transcendent in its overall sound given its reliance on field recordings. It is an otherwise a beauty to behold and it could well relieve the worst of your anxieties should you let yourself be immersed in its gentle guitars and seawaves. 4/5

sueter7 – Todo Salió Bien en la Sencilla Villa Quién (27 May 2026)

Todo Salió Bien en la Sencilla Villa Quién is a project that takes a long time to finally get its release. Its Argentine creator however has enjoyed a bit of experience dabbling in electronic music under different stage names and projects even if this particular record is his first under the name. It touches on growing up especially as a teenager/young adult with a disposition of feeling directionless with the realisation of soon having to move on with life even if that means departing from your love interest. Its glitchy production with a more childlike impression brings to mind the Postal Service even if the clear rock instrumentation would draw comparisons to Porter Robinson’s SMILE! :D. The lyrics are in Spanish which is worth noting in case if you’re want to know, but the youthful vocals already let you in on its themes. There’s an urbanity within it that makes for a more relatable and impactful tune even if you might be a bit familiar with the sound as it is – and there’s really nothing wrong about the familiarity, right? 4.1/5

mary in the junkyard – Role Model Hermit (3 July 2026)

Another one of the bands whose breakthrough to major hype involved playing in the Windmill om Brixton, mary in the junkyard is a London-based trio whose style takes on a distinct kind of post-punk. It’s made of vocalist-guitarist Clari Freeman-Taylor, bassist and viola player Sara Barbaglia, and David Addison on the drums and they de-facto founded from the latter two joining the former as a backing band for a 2022 performance in the pub called the Cavendish Arms. Role Model Hermit stands out through its whispery vocals, unorthodox riffs, and more alien instrumental arrangements. This should be in line with many of the Windmill’s more unusual acts, but it doesn’t work as well as it could have. The alienness of the record feels like a gimmick that downplays its distinction from contemporaries. It feels more like an aspirational tribute to Hop Along than the coup-de-grace creative shotgun from this decade’s top acts. 2.7/5

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