Balance and Composure - Light We Made (2016)

Formed in 2007 after the breakup of two local Doylestown, Pennsylvania bands, Balance & Composure is comprised of Jon Simmons (guitar, vocals), Andy Slaymaker (guitar, vocals), Erik Petersen (guitar), Matt Warner (bass), and Bailey Van Ellis (drums), all of whom were familiar figures on the local indie scene. Developing an effective, muddy, emo, hardcore post-grunge sound, the band released the I Just Want to Be Pure EP in 2008, following it up with another EP, Only Boundaries, in 2009. A debut full-length, Separation, appeared in 2011, followed in 2013 by The Things We Think We're Missing, the latter of which reached number 51 on the Billboard Top 200. 2016's Light We Made, the band's much-anticipated third studio long-player, saw Balance & Composure incorporating electronic elements into their sound. ~ Steve Leggett.