Usually when I’ve covered new releases by The Upbeats in the past, I’ve talked about their various EPs – Gamma Ray, Punks, the De-Evolution series and Re-Evolution… not to mention Dead Limit, the collaboration with Noisia. At thirteen tracks long, Not Forever is the first album by The Upbeats that I’ve reviewed since the re-launch of Disposable Media. And until now, I never quite knew how beneficial the EP format could be for the previous releases, because I never had a full album to compare them against. Not Forever feels less like a concentrated burst of electronic energy and more like something that’s been given room to breathe and redefine what we think of when we approach new releases by The Upbeats. When I think about the tracks that I remember most fondly in the EPs, I think of fast-paced instrumental intensity –but Not Forever shows that there’s room for much more when you have the luxury of a full album where you’re able to experiment and explore.
Not Forever – accessible but surprising
Not Forever takes the listener to various destinations – a slow number with haunting vocals (“All We’ve Got”), a bumping urban journey with quirky effects that bounce around in the background (“Beams”), a curious instrumental sequence of squelches and twangs (“Bosscorp”) and more besides. As the listener moves from the punchy bars of Armanni Reign in one track to the indulgent ambience and reverb found in the next, it’s clear that the album is willing to diversify its range beyond the sharp focus found in the EPs. As I listened to these more chilled diversions, I caught myself wondering if this was a move to perhaps appeal to a broad range of listeners, or to become more accessible. After all, even some of their other recent “albums” listed on Spotify have consisted of remixes and collections of EPs (“Re-Evolution” and the “De-Evolution” trilogy) rather than a from-the-ground-up album.
If this is beginning to sound like Not Forever is a bit of a letdown to someone who mainly experienced and enjoyed the EPs, you might want to think again, because the album still shows sparks of that same energy when you least expect it. “Infinity” eases the listener in with lazy beats and autotune vocals, but quickly shifts the tempo up and adds some neat hooks into the blend, and even the aforementioned “All We’ve Got” has a disturbing edge despite the easy-going rhythm. By far my favourite track on the album is “Realm” – this was premiered as a single on Visio Radio back in April, but it still hasn’t lost any of its appeal several months on. A track that establishes itself with some hurried rhythms in the beginning, it only continues to get better after each build-up and drop; as it ends, it vanishes in an echo as swiftly as it arrived.
An ambitious direction
I would have happily enjoyed a full album of songs like “Realm”, but I think that The Upbeats have bigger ambitions than me. The variety on offer across the album suggests that they want all kinds of listeners to come away with their own favourites – there’s a much greater emphasis on vocal contribution, and on providing a range that extends beyond the goals that the EPs had set their sights on in previous years. And I’m sure that many of the more unusual tracks will grow on me and become new favourites of mine. There have been a lot of strong releases from individuals and groups this year, and it’s comforting to know that The Upbeats still have what it takes to make a lapsed fan sit up and take notice.
Not Forever is available now to purchase on Vision Recordings or play on your streaming service of choice.