Telebox - ‘When Night Turns Into Day’ Review: An exhilarating sophomore EP from rising Galway-stars
A resounding example of what can be achieved when artists follow their instincts and have fun.
★★★★★★★★☆☆
Credit: Telebox 📸
On 12th July 2024, Galway indie-quartet Telebox released their sophomore EP ‘When Night Turns Into Day’. The five-track collection captures an electric, exhilarating and energetic band that’s destined to make waves.
Since their previous EP, What Is The Point?, the group has grown exponentially. They’ve expanded their sweet guitars into psychedelic swirling soundscapes. This new concoction of sounds feels prominent across the full work, including creative artwork which depicts malformed bandmates climbing a tree to catch the sunrise/sunset.
Hailing from West Ireland, Telebox was formed while still at school with Joe Kelly and Connall Ó Floinn on guitar, Stevie Healy on drums and Eoin Killeen on bass. We’ve compared their dreamy and bubbly sound to the likes of The Night Cafe, TV Girl, SPINN and The Academic previously. The latter even gave them a support slot recently.
EP-opener, Pilot, kicks off the EP in style. A charging barrage of colourful sounds soaks you immediately, and you find yourself at a crossroads. As an introduction to Telebox’s renewed sound, it couldn’t get better than this. The band pull inspiration from The Smiths, TV Girl and Jimi Hendrix, as they yearn for the truth. Our favourite part about Pilot is how the track builds, gradually introducing dynamics you’ll become familiar with later in the EP.
A fast follower is House On Fire, the lead single. Dreamy, bubbly and sparkling, it’s all about temptation, self-control and composure. ‘Don’t set the house on fire, just because you can’ refers to avoiding self-destruction despite having the power to do so. House On Fire is curiously addictive, and you’ll find it looping around your head long after it’s played.
By the middle of the EP, we reach our favourite. Following The Night is a gorgeously crafted indie rock song reminiscent of Kings Of Leon and again The Night Cafe. The contrast of the rougher guitars alongside their dreamy psychedelia works wonders. Lyrically, the track takes a conventional approach, observing a night out as it unfolds, and the music lifts it to new levels. Of all the tracks on the EP, we can hear people belting this one out on a BBC Introducing stage at festivals.
In contrast, Glow slows things down dramatically. There’s a nostalgic and timeless feel to the acoustics dancing around the lyrics. To our satisfaction, it’s one of the longest tracks on the EP, clocking in at 5.40.
The big finale Berlin amps everything up as the band lets loose and pulls together for a huge encore. Hats off to the bassist, who underpins the build-up of this grand outro. By the end, it’s more Arctic Monkeys and FOALS than dreamy shoegaze. This unexpected turn was an enormous surprise and one which put a smile on our faces. It’s almost like the band saying ‘We’ve always got a trick up our sleeve’.
Telebox explains their thoughts:
“When Night Turns Into Day explores a vast plain of emotions felt by the band during their interrailing trip across Europe. It snapshots a series of little moments that would usually go unnoticed. ‘When Night Turns Into Day’, the final line of the EP, is a line reminiscent of those late nights turned mornings that make us appreciate the world around us. The time frame during which the songs on the EP were written was at a point of big change for the band as members moved out and started college. The EP involves senses of frustration, joy and nostalgia which can reflect the adjustment to new surroundings.”
:: Round-Up ::
Moving from moments of melancholy to distortion-soaked intensity, Telebox’s sophomore EP delivers an injection of nostalgia to indie fans everywhere. With huge tracks Berlin, Following The Night and Pilot, this is a resounding example of what can be achieved when artists follow their instincts and have fun. All that’s left is for you to discover the band.
Now, it’s your turn. Give it a spin, and tell us what you think on Insta or X.
Rating: 8/10
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