In their third LP, the German 4 piece offer a unique and hard hitting blend of Emo and Hardcore.
If you took the technical, intricate guitar work of a band like 'Somos' and mixed it with the melodic intensity of 'Touché Amoré', you'd more or less have the newest effort from 'Shoreline.' Add in some personal, heavily introspective lyrical themes and you have the recipe for an exciting record that feels fresh, yet just familiar enough. Add another tally in the 'bands that took me by surprise' category, one that finds itself growing in nearly exponential fashion so far in 2024.
The opening track, 'Needles', serves as a great first impression, and does a little bit of everything that 'To Figure Out' conveys so well. It's heavy, emotional, melancholy, and intense. There's a real skill in an impactful opening track, and nearly every box is ticked here. 'Darius' follows with a deep screamed intro by the vocalist before giving way to a smooth guitar hook, complete with a soft synth behind it. It's a really unique dichotomy, reminiscent of the mid 2000's Post Hardcore scene but with a shot of modern emo injected in the heart of the song.
From a production standpoint, things are crisp, clear, and concise. The vocals in particular stand out as being well mixed and easy to hear (something that can be hard to come by in loud, packed music). And it serves the record well, as the often times personal lyrics are a big part of the appeal of 'To Figure Out'. On 'Seoul', the vocalist croons about the pains of being a POC in a predominantly white society. It really serves as an emotional high point on the record, and for someone who (presumably) speaks English as a second language, the lyrics are poignant and very well written.
If you're looking for an early Emo release to hang your hat on, Shoreline have given you a worthy contender in 'To Figure Out.' Personally, I'm glad this band came on my radar, and this is a record I definitely plan on putting into my rotation. With 13 tracks spanning 38 minutes, there's plenty of variety and quality songs for me to easily recommend the LP to fans of the genre!
Standout tracks: Needles, Workaround, Seoul, Yuppie Kids, Don't Feed, Cold Feet
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