Honeyglaze embrace noise and chaos on Real Deal

Their self-titled debut felt teetering between adolescence and adulthood, not yet fully able to creatively appreciate and capitalize on their quirks and differences. On their follow-up, Real Deal, Honeyglaze blur the lines between the perfect and the imperfect, exploring stylistic themes that embrace noise and chaos while still honing the soft-spoken sound that earned them an audience of festival-goers and 6 Music dads.

The album opener, "Hide", interrupts the silence with a blend of beauty and dissonance. It teases with rattling guitar stabs, hiccuping between softly arpeggiated strokes and fragile, cathartic melodies. Bassist Tim Curtis and drummer Yuri Shibuichi fill out the space created by vocalist, primary songwriter, and guitarist Anouska Sokolow, with the dynamics shifting at every turn.

Real Deal came to fruition after Honeyglaze permanently put their debut to rest, considering what was next for the three-piece and what the band could sound like outside the confines of what's pretty or pleasing to the ear. While their self-titled debut was careful to win others over, "Hide" confidently packs in immediacy and tension, reflecting the band's experiences of being plunged back into life off the road.

The guitar takes the lead with a jagged, upbeat hook on "Cold Caller," switching into a jangling rise in the chorus. Sokolow narrates through a detached, deadpan delivery, her lyrics conveying loneliness and isolation, only occasionally allowing pronunciation to form an extra layer of context. On "TV," a restrained strummed guitar leads into deeper waters as the tempo gradually increases and the intensity builds to a fizzy, noise-filled climax. "Safety Pins" follows a similar structure, starting small before expanding into something larger in scale.

At times, Honeyglaze leave space for more, and the occasional lack of vocal intensity might be what's missing on a few tracks. Lead single "Don't" combats this, with Sokolow growling, "Don't make me feel like I don't belong when I don't belong!" A similar emotive burst can be heard in the final moments of "TMJ," where Sokolow yells, "I'm clenching my jaw as I don't trust anyone anymore." Meanwhile, the title track "Real Deal" revels in space as much as its counterparts indulge in noise.

Ultimately, Real Deal sees Honeyglaze steadily accessing parts outside their comfort zone, their range expanding with the new territory they gain.