Turnstile Ventures Out on Time & Space

Published in Pulp Magazine Issue 195

Turnstile’s sophomore album, Time & Space, is one sneaky bastard. It eases you in with the band’s trademark sound, then hits you with surprises further down the tracklist. Among others, there’s the effects-laden vocals on “Big Smile,” the blues-rock piano on “High Pressure,” and the glitchy flourishes on “Right to Be” featuring Diplo (yes, that Diplo). These make the album sound poppier, making this the most commercial-sounding album in the band’s discography thus far.

However, fans of the old Turnstile should rest-assured that these do not distract from what the band does best: deliver extremely catchy and high-energy hardcore punk. This is exemplified in the album’s lead single “Real Thing.” It’s a snappy straight-forward banger that provides as much moshpit fodder as the tracks on Nonstop Feeling. By the end of the album, it becomes clear that the experimental moments are there to add to their established sound instead of scrapping it completely.

All in all, Time & Space displays a masterful balancing act between old and new, and a willingness to explore which (let’s face it) is lacking in hardcore. We need albums like this to keep the subgenre moving forward. Perhaps this album will seem chock-full of needless gimmicks to old heads, but it’s more likely to be admired by music fans from in and out of the scene. If you can, set aside those dusty 7-inches and check this out.