A New LP from TV Cult Just Dropped
- BuzzSlayers
- Oct 10, 2025
- 4 min read
The latest record from TV Cult just came out, and it encompasses and embodies so much classic, 90s underground post-punk by utilizing such attention to detail in the tones of their instruments. The aesthetic that they've captured actually blends elements of alternative, hints of early 2000s emo rock, but that post-punk is really perfectly overpowering, giving such a flavorful element to the whole record.
So, what I mean by the tones of their instruments is that they take time to make sure that the bass guitar has a perfect balance of tone. Sometimes hints of chorus or reverb effect add that depth; the guitars are the same thing. They're able to add wetness to the instruments and, in doing so, beckon this classic post-punk approach, and for me, it worked amazingly because I grew up with this stuff.
When it comes to the emo rock style undertones that I'm hearing, I feel like that is attributed more to bands like Cursive. You can hear the energetic and vibrant emotional drive behind some of the vocals and instrumental approaches, bringing waves of intensity throughout the whole record.
This was a banger of a record, and there are plenty of songs that stand on their own two feet as singles very well; however, listening to the album from start to finish is absolutely the only way to go here.
There are more than a few surprises around its corners, and again, certain songs bring on more intense moments than others.
There's always some vast undertones going on, which again is always attributed to classic or vintage post-punk, and the energy of the entire thing is equal to something of a live performance.
The way that they recorded this record puts you there in the moment a lot of the time, so you get this sort of live performance vibe from the record.
The performances are super tight. It's just about how they connect their energies between the band members and utilize that to put out something that has a lush feel and a bit of an impact. But it does so only when it wants to.
The first track, "Communication", is something I feel amazing about simply because it does such a great job of introducing the rest of the record by way of showcasing some of the staples you're going to hear throughout the rest of the release.
Again, listening to this record all the way through is a must because there are those surprises around the corners, a lot of different textures and tones layered upon each other, giving off this full-bodied feel.
This first track really hits pretty hard as well. The vocals are belting out and bring out a certain kind of emo essence, the guitars are clean but also thrashy at the same time, and the whole thing is a bit rambunctious but in a good way.
So this first song gives you a hint towards the kind of energy you're going to be getting throughout the rest of the album.
Then there are songs like "Surrender", which feature great synth work following guitars, a more floating atmosphere, more of that spaciousness in the underbelly of it all, and there are different kinds of hooks going on.
What's really cool about this record is that you can hear this certain brand of Pop undertone throughout most of the songs. They have hooks.
Not just great choruses, but also musical hooks. Instrumental hooks that come through and stick in your brain for days after the songs have ended.
This is huge because I feel like great post-punk always had certain kinds of instrumental hooks, whether it was keys or synths, guitars, sometimes bass guitar, whatever it was, you had these musical or instrumental hooks that were as memorable as the choruses were.
That is so key. So, these guys obviously pull from a slew of influences, and that shows face a lot throughout the record. Plenty of their influences are classic, but they also bring new approaches as well while sticking to the aesthetic that they're going for. It's a little dark, a little edgy, very vast, and still gives you those great hints of pop sensibility.
The vocals are either in your face, really loud, screaming, or their melodic and a little bit more subtle. Either way, you're getting something that feels pretty authentic, and if you listen to this album in full, you're getting a really great experience.
I feel like albums like this are meant to be heard from start to finish, so you can get that experience.
I come from a time when you would hear one song on the radio or on a show, you would maybe read about it in a magazine, but you had no choice other than to go to the store and buy the full album.
Even though you just grabbed the record to hear the one song, you got loads more that you didn't expect, and a lot of the time, the song that was on the radio was nowhere near the best song on the record.
This album holds to that aesthetic so damn well that I want to have it physically in my hand.
The guitar work across this record is absolutely perfected. Each track has its own mood, and the guitar and bass guitar are the things that really help set that. The drumming is also amazingly done and helps bring a lot of the drive to the songs, but also gives them a certain kind of liveliness.
Listening to this record just makes me want to go see them perform live.
So, take a deep dive into this one, especially if you are a fan of post-punk at any level whatsoever.
Do not forget where you heard this first.
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