Armed with their own definition of indie music, The World Is Not Round offer their third full length record with Speechless
Formed in 2013 and with no affiliation to the flat earth movement, The World Is Not Round blend both their cultures and sound to create a dazzling take on 2000s/10s indie music. With experience both in the Philippines and Sydney, the duo have expanded into a fully fledged band.
Vocals reminiscent of cult favourites American Football, Speechless is a delicious combination of mid-western emo, synth-wave and alternative rock. Opening with Spiralling, the group establish a hopeful energy laced with a pervasive sense of longing. In the same way that Turnover mix anguish and beauty, Spiralling covers a wealth of emotion and musical dynamic.
Fabricator simmers down, a groove not unlike those pulled from In Rainbows setting the floor for cyclical guitars and thickly layered, pop-punk infused vocals. By this point, it’s abundantly clear that TWINR have the art of dynamic shifts in a chokehold.
What I Used To Be is soothing, reminiscent of The 1975’s more subtle moments that weave throughout their discography. It is extremely easy to listen to Speechless, and equally as easy to feel it. The band communicate their emotional altitude through every slight instrumentation and vocal tilt.
Impending Doom begins with the melodic drama of Sleeping With Sirens, building tension that releases into something comforting and warm. Experimental synth parts that line the sides of a punctuated drum groove, the soft and inviting vocals act as an open door.
There is simply so much to explore within each moment of Speechless. Things I Can’t Change leans into the synth-pop sensibilities, though holds tightly to it’s intrigue through unexpected changes.
Mind Eraser is almost more of an interlude than a full song, sensual and trippy and full of dramatic swell. Shibuya Incident opens with an unmistakably indie guitar line, with a synth-pop undertone and Death Cab For Cutie inspired emo vocal.
Perhaps the best example of TWINR’s genre moulding, this track has the glow of a 2000s classic and the familiarity that causes doubt over whether it was in fact a song that soundtracked one’s teenage years.
Dreaming follows suit, showcasing further the musical acuity and reigniting the drama.
Crispy Fried Chicken feels like a movie score, another highlight amongst a sea of standouts. It’s almost shocking to think that TWNR haven’t been lining every teen movie from the past two decades.
Closing with Fraud, a dazzling pop tune, Speechless rounds itself out in perfect symmetry.
Nostalgic yet refreshing, Speechless is too interesting to be simply reminiscent, but instead reinvents the memory.
Listen to Speechless below.
