After releasing their first single off the release in October of 2021, Set It Off provided a taste of what to expect in their newest LP release. Let’s dive in to see if the record matches “Skeleton” or if Set It Off brings the heat with musically versatility.

With their single releases from this album, it appeared from an audience stand point that the band was going to blend sounds primarily from their latest project “Midnight” with a dash of the grit and vocal approaches heard through their record “Upside Down.” Blending these sounds together would make for that theatrical experience that Set It Off is known for with the mod to a more modern sound that fits more in the Alternative genre than it would the Punk side of things.

From this intent, I would say that the two selections: “Skeleton” and “Projector” truly highlight that intent of the album; however, when listening to the make from front to back, I was pleasantly surprised on the spectrum of diversity found on the work. It is true that the work reads as a more Alternative-Pop sound with emphasis on groovy bass lines, punchy choruses that get stuck in your head, catchy lyricism, and strategic moments of silence with complimentary instrumentation to create a solid record.

I will say, listening to the album in full, different parts of the record reminds me of different parts of Set It Off’s journey in music throughout the years, but a lot of it feels elevated with a sense of refinement. Personally, I love Set It Off’s discography and the diversity that it shows, but this project is one that doesn’t feel specifically prescriptive. It feels that it highlights a bit everything, which would make it more approachable from a variety of listeners.

One pause or reservation I have about this record is that it is not as “in your face” as the others. Meaning, I feel that I appreciate and like this record the more I listen to it, but it didn’t bring me in fully on the initial spin. To me, I feel there is a little something missing on the record. I want to feel immersed in the “Elsewhere” that they are creating, but the music feels more surface-level to me.

This is not to say that the record is not good- because it has its moments. Marginally, I don’t see myself gravitating to this album over the others they’ve previously released. With this in mind, I am giving this record a 3.5 out of 5 stars. This is a solid work, but to me, it doesn’t compare.

*”Elsewhere” was released on March 11th, 2022 through Fearless Records.