Tourists - Another State

When reviewing albums, upon first listen I usually write a few initial thoughts down for each track - this time I wasn't able to. Listening to Tourists' debut album felt like being submerged underwater, watching patterns of dappled light dancing on the water's surface above. 'Another State' is one of those albums that doesn't leave you after listening, the trance-like feelings it conjures up stay with you; sun-soaked sensory escapism.  

Tourists' have mastered the art of matching lyrics to their sounds, combining to bring you on a mesmeric journey, from high-energy, apprehensive post-punk, to modern-psychedelia, shoegaze, and ending with immersive, melodic dream-pop.

Silent Type's high energy, hypnotic undertones set off the album perfectly. The lines, 'I'm the silent type so it seems//There's more behind the scenes' encapsulate the debut’s dominant motif; going beyond surface-level insights and perceptions. The recurring lyric 'I can't escape those prying eyes' echoes the feeling of entrapment that comes from being refined to a singular stereotype or label. This serves as a perfect contrast to the closing track, which ends, 'and I learnt another state//It was fine and I felt safe', demonstrating the journey of expansion the listener finds themselves on.

The stand out tracks for me are Faults, Blindside, and title track, 'Another State'. 'Faults' embodies a more melancholy/dark dream-pop, which, when matched with its deeper reflective lyrics, manages to portray the inner turmoil of the mind, and feelings of paranoia. Blindside, along with Strangers and Lego Man, explores the all-consuming chaos of love. Lego-Man alludes to the fragile state of mind that comes from leaving a manipulative relationship, the vulnerable repeating lyrics 'you've taken all I have'  helping to conjure up that drawn-out process of healing. Blindside's heavier, chiming synth melodies are reminiscent of alt-rock/80s new wave (think New Order, The Cure, The Psychedelic Furs), adding another layer to the mosaic of influences and sounds that make up Tourists' debut.

Perception management has a shoegaze soundscape, and it becomes obvious to see that Joy Division is one of the band's inspirations. The lyrics delve into the deceiving nature of capitalist society and of the importance of not believing what you're told: 'you want to see it brainwash me//it's more than cruel, a travesty'. Tourists talk of the importance of holding on to what is real and what matters, of questioning what we are fed with curiosity and seeing beyond the reality that we're presented with.

'Another State' is the perfect closing track, and it's hard not to lose yourself listening to it. A hazy compilation of guitars and organs is coupled with musing, enchanting lyrics, transporting you into a dream-like state. The lines 'I felt the sun shining across my face' and 'I felt safe' conjure up feelings of hope. The album is, overall, a true spiritual immersion.

10/10