I’m Leaving is likely to take many by surprise. From their first few demos – via their debut album Native To – to the Flags EP released only earlier this year, Is Tropical’s music has generally taken on a pretty identifiable sound – distinctly lo fi, bass driven dance music, unmistakeably indie. I’m Leaving (an apt name given the album’s sense of musical departure) not only marks a clear progression from their previous work, but at times sounds like an entirely fresh start. Certainly a bold move, it is pulled off remarkably well; don’t be surprised to hear a lot more of them this summer.

Immediately noticeable is the production quality of the album. The band’s DIY bedroom sound has been made away with, and Luke Smith (producer of Foals’ Total Life Forever) has given the LP a refined, slick quality. Vocals are no longer masked behind synth but brought to the fore. Indeed this often really defines the song, particularly in final track ‘Yellow Teeth’, where the instrumental provides an effective backdrop for surprisingly rousing werewolf-related lyrics (yellow teeth/don’t ever change/tell a soul, I/knew it’s the only way we could ever have stayed).‘All Night’ best represents the band's intent with this release. With an emphatic, off-beat bass, it is unapologetic, heavy, with slightly dark undertones. The swaying chorus demands attention, with Simon Milner’s growling voice contrasting superbly with backing vocals provided Crystal Fighter’s Ellie Fletcher. 

‘Lover’s Cave and ‘Lillith’ sound like what Peace’s much hyped recent debut In Love could have been, but never quite was, hard-hitting, genuinely commanding rock anthems. This is where Is Tropical’s sound is most strikingly different, with a real focus on raw sounding guitar and punchy drum parts, and much less of an emphasis on synth. Not to say the album is entirely lacking in synth: the glistening electronic effects in the (unsurprisingly) summery ‘Sun Sun’, for instance, provide an airy warmth. The real stand outs of the album though, are when the band plays on the dance element of their music. ‘Video’ is by far the most dance influenced song of the album, with an infectious chorus that sounds like NZCA/Lines in all the right ways; an atmospheric, driving electro pop beat.

Unsurprisingly, given the scope of the album, it was almost inevitable that some of the concepts in I’m Leaving don’t quite strike the right chord. The verses of ‘Toulouse’ feel slightly disjointed for instance, whilst ‘Cry’ is a perfectly competent piece but rather forgettable. But these few blemishes are noticeable only because of how out of place they seem in an album that is so frequently on point: where ‘Cry’ might lack in memorability, for example, ‘Dancing Anymore’ more than compensates. Nodding to The Teenager’s ‘Homecoming’, with a ridiculously catchy vocal part – and an extremely NSFW video – ‘Dancing Anymore’ is guaranteed to stay in your head for days. I’m Leaving is the sound of Is Tropical coming out of their shell, a truly impressive work that demands attention.