The Warning - Telenova (Review)

There's a particular kind of feeling that Telenova seems to hit every time. They consistently live up to their "cinema for your ears" slogan. The Warning is no exception, and it feels a little more adventurous than their usual.

For those who don't know, Telenova is a Melbourne-based alternative pop (or trip-hop) band that truly does make cinema for our ears. Their music combines elements of dreampop, trip-hop, and cinematic instrumentals, with a whole lot of atmosphere in the mix. Their song Bones went viral in niche circles, and a few years later they released their first album, Time Is A Flower. They refined their style over the years, but started in a very good place.

The Sound

This album starts off with a song that matches their usual style, THE DEEP. An extended version of the single. There's something about it that I can't put my finger on; the song knows exactly who it is, and it was stuck in my head for weeks.

The next stretch pulls in songs from the Bitcrush EP. This section feels like a shift; they open up to a much wider, calmer soundscape. These songs make me want to go on a moon walk. IN THE NAME OF YOUR LOVE is the exception, much closer to the first song, with a sense of longing that I seem to be often pulled towards.

Getting to FAULT LINE... this one is interesting. When I heard the "leaked" preview, I wasn't a fan. But it grew on me. I don't find myself listening to it often, but when I do, it gets stuck in my head. I get a sense of suffocation, claustrophobia, as if I'm stuck in a flooding elevator. A vague feeling of doom and anxiety about where we could be headed.

HEARTBEATS brings me back to earth. I'm back in the sun, grounded, and reading a book on the coastline. The sky has opened up again after months of rain.

At the end of the album, there's another shift. There's a sense of inevitability and doom once again, heaviness, but with a strange feeling of comfort. And then it resolves. Telenova have always perfectly hit their final songs; it always feels truly like the credits are rolling, and I appreciate that they are always long enough to let us sit in it.

Thoughts

Telenova have a way of growing on you. My first listen is usually met with some indifference, but the sound sticks. I always eventually get a craving to come back and find my favourite song yet.

The Warning has that same benefit. It isn't asking for attention, it's just there. If you leave space for it, it'll find a little place to stay, and maybe permanently etch itself into your ears.