THE WARNING

THE WARNING

Melbourne alt-pop trio Telenova explore ambiguous lyrical themes on their second album, with lead singer and filmmaker Angeline Armstrong posing questions of personal faith in such an evocative way that they often feel folkloric or mythological. Armstrong stokes dark images of headstones and witchy “toil and trouble” against breakbeats and a bleary keyboard hook on the earworm single “BITCRUSH.” She reflects upon a sky “so full of wonder” on opener “THE DEEP” and begins “MOUNTAIN LION // ADORE” by asking why she is made of glass, before elsewhere singing of the devil, the moon, and the heavens above. Such moody themes suit the band’s velvety basslines and immersive electronics, curated by multi-instrumentalist producers Edward Quinn and Joshua Moriarty. Brought together at a songwriting camp in early 2020, the three members bring out the best in each other while ensuring that the Telenova sound maintains a certain fluid quality. That means that the jazzy leanings of “VAPOR // SLOW DANCE” sit cozily next to the percolating dream pop of “IN THE NAME OF YOUR LOVE.” In these cinematic, soul-searching songs, there are no wrong answers.