This Is All There Is by Bugslam

No, 5th wave emo was not phased out in the advent of the 2020s. With a strong debut that proves the genre’s continued relevance, Bugslam enters the scene with their EP This is All There Is. Harboring an undeniable moodiness, its emo attitude is what drives it forward, launching fuzzy math overtones from one idea to the next alongside aloof yet sensitive lyrics. A huge strength of this album is its distracted pacing, remaining introspective and varied throughout its compelling 18-minute run. This is All There Is is preoccupied, droney, and charged, expertly demonstrating the frenetic and displacing experience of anxiety. Its freneticism is perhaps captured best by “Texas Chainsaw 2003 (The Hold,)” a particularly memorable track that maintains an angry, lonely resignation alongside droning guitars and crashing cymbals that give it an impassioned energy. Folks who enjoyed our reviews of Party Hats or OLTH will appreciate this project’s distraught indecisiveness. - Carrie