There aren't too many albums that hit you like a sledgehammer on first listen. Blurryface is one of those records, but it's a complex game trying to put your finger on exactly why.
This is the fourth album from the Ohio natives, but this is the first time they've come across my radar.
The duo treat genre barriers with contempt, criss-crossing from radio-friendly pop-rock to emo, reggae and hip-hop with a fair smattering of hard electronica, both within the album and even within songs.
It's an intriguing mix, bolstered by strong songwriting, from uber-catchy opener Heavydirtysoul to the jingly-jangly We Don't Believe What's On TV with lyrics such as "I don't care what's in your hair, I just want to know what's on your mind", and the reggae-rap of Lane Boy, on which they seem to address their genre switching: "They say stay in your lane, boy, but we go where we want to."
Blurryface is a mind-blower - check it out.
