ALBUM REVIEW: To Figure Out – Shoreline

German punk band SHORELINE are back with their latest album To Figure Out. The band themselves are heavily influenced by their local DIY scene and, following their debut in 2019, they have risen in popularity through endless underground shows throughout Europe. They’ve performed with names like SILVERSTEIN, BASEMENT and SPANISH LOVE SONGS, and made a name for themselves for their combination of punk, emo, hardcore and even dancepop.

From start to end, the band bring an energy that is infectious and not easily forgotten. As the album opens with Needles, the first thing the listener hears is a loud guitar intro before the full band kicks off, creating a song that is as powerful as it is intriguing. It gives you a feeling of hope, uplifting you with the idea that everything will be alright in the end. What follows is a collection of tracks that go in several directions, from the dancepop influence of Workaround with its funky bass and sound effects, to the fast punk brilliance of Green Paint where you’ll find yourself ready to bounce along to as you imagine the fun scenes of it being performed live.

You never quite know what you’ll be in for next with SHORELINE, but you’ll love every moment of it. There’s something about To Figure Out that gives you a feeling of familiarity with the nostalgia of the band’s sound, but it also feels new and exciting – not that it’s something you’ve never hear before, yet it somehow feels modern and partially ahead of its time. There is pure happiness in a track like in Yuppie Kids, for example, catchy lyrics and rock breakdowns in Don’t Feed, and moments that feel powerful and inspiring like in Seoul. The latter is probably one of the main highlights of the whole album; there’s something about it that feels like you’re the protagonist in a coming-of-age film where things feel difficult, but you’re gradually figuring it out. It’s realistic in the sense that you recognise the challenges that you’ve been through, but you know that eventually things will work out in their own way and at their own pace.

SHORELINE have created a fun album that explores the many ways that one can experiment in modern punk and rock. In fact, it wouldn’t be surprising if in a few years they become a force within the scene that will inspire many more musicians in the future.

Rating: 8/10

To Figure Out is out now via Pure Noise Records.

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