Sydney, Australia-based Warp alums PVT—formerly known as Pivot—return with their fifth full-length, a record born both out of necessity and an innate desire for change. And while New Spirit is full of warm analog arpeggios, soft textures, and pleasant rhythmic counterpoints, there’s also a certain intensity, tension, and sadness to the record.
“Morning Mist, Rock Island Bend,” the nine-minute first single, is the album’s musical centerpiece. “All good things come to an end,” croons vocalist Richard Pike as the track blooms and develops. It never quite climaxes; instead, it dissolves into a sea of washed-out synthesizers.
The title track speaks directly to the political and environmental disillusionment that a lot of Australians are feeling. “New heart, old blood,” Pike recites. “New arc, same flood/New money, old debt/New risk, old regret.” It scans as a reflection on the backwardness and regressiveness of the current political climate. But it’s not all grey skies; instead, PVT encourage us to arm ourselves with a new spirit. True change requires a fundamental shift in how we think and act. Now’s the time to step forward and give it a try.
—Adam Badi Donoval
