Acopia - Acopia (2023)

Fragmented stories fit together to form Acopia’s self-titled sophomore album, releasing on November 24th. The highly anticipated follow-up to the band’s stellar 2022 debut, ‘Chances’, ‘Acopia’ sees the Naarm/Melbourne-based band confidently moving across post-punk lamentation, shoegazing DnB, smouldering trip hop and subdued electronic pop, as they carve out their own hazy world of romanticism and restraint.

‘Acopia’ is marked by a careful control of tension and release, sparseness and warmth, momentum, and space. The exploratory record moves at a deliberate pace and never lingers still for too long. Wistful melodies are contrasted with moments of warmth; veiled vocals are carried right into listeners’ hearts by intelligent, reduced drum lines; pensive synthesis is balanced against live instrumentation. The result is a deeply emotionally sensitive record, equal parts refined and relatable, and a listening journey that is immediately understood while revealing new layers with each subsequent listen.

The album sets off with the skeletal ‘We Evolve’, teasing at the themes of the songs to come – relationships, identity, life, love, loss, and renewal. ‘Be Enough’ goes straight to the heart, with a skipping trip hop beat set alongside a gossamer vocal. The reduced, direct arrangement of ‘Disengaged’ speaks with a brooding bassline and staccato synth bleeps that needle at tender feelings embedded in one’s soul - yearning, regret, disappointment. ‘Holding On’ offers a burst of respite, with propulsive percussion and bright, layered melodies, while ‘Eyes Shut’ moves to a quiet, reflective sense of hope through splintered drums and a melancholic refrain. ‘What I’ve Been Looking For’ brings the desperate emotional climax of the record as organic instrumentation collides with cascading, layered vocal lines.

‘Intentions’ begins the gentle landing through daydreaming, Durutti-esque guitar – slowing the pace and bringing ease to questions that have no clear answers. ‘Take You For Granted’ brings the mood up to a simmer with heart-rending strings and a vocal shrouded in mist. The 303 pulse of ‘This Conversation’ and clever drum programming speaks to the band’s experience as club musicians while carrying listeners’ closer to a place of resolution. ‘Acopia’ closes with ‘Work It Out’, finding peace in uncertainty and warmth to rest in.

With their new album, the band has taken significant steps forward in development from ‘Chances’. While their debut carried a DIY charm, ‘Acopia’ glimmers with subtle polish. Each element is placed together with exacting precision, every sonic shift feels intentional. Acopia maintain their signature sense of intimacy and charm through deliberate production choices. Found sounds and atmospherics add depth and enough texture to trace one’s ears over again and again. Rough edges remain barely perceptible, grounding the record in the personal and everyday.

Acopia writes songs to revisit and grow with for years to come, with each release acting as a timepiece in listeners’ lives - sonic diary entries that serve as a foil to unfurl one’s own experiences. It’s music to share solitude with, to take you to the cusp of catharsis, and to encourage you to gently sink into your feelings while holding you safe as you do so.