Turnover - ‘Myself In The Way’

Indie rock legends Turnover have just released their fifth studio album, ‘Myself In The Way’. A relaxed, immersive adventure, the new sound feels at once both novel and comfortable. A far cry from the days of ‘Magnolia’ (2013), the work is simultaneously an exploration of a new sound, whilst also representing the latest stage in the development of their craft.

The single ‘Myself In The Way epitomises what Turnover have become. Far from the comfort zone of earlier records like ‘Peripheral Vision’, it still maintains a sense of nostalgia, a sense of home, in sharp contradiction to the endless cycle of paper-thin nostalgia surrounding us in society today, Turnover have managed to constantly grow, constantly change, and yet preserve that authentic core, that intense, melancholy longing that transcends genre, that transcends language. A feeling that in fact permeates society, particularly amongst those of us under 30, uncertain about our future, longing for a simpler past and instead sold a pale imitation of it.

The single ‘Wait Too Long’ carries on this theme. A smooth, easy listen, with the layers of synth, guitars and ethereal vocals melding together in congruous beauty. Turnover have used the last three years individually perfecting their craft, Rayfield and Getz have clearly made the most of the past few years, really perfecting their skills on the instrument. Dempsey’s investment in his visual art too is paying dividends, solidifying ‘Myself In The Way’ as not a shaky, tentative experiment, but a bold, cohesive whole.

Music and art are not separate from society, but are the work of human hands, humans who live in the society we live in. Social being determines consciousness, and the natural impact of growing older and of living through the pandemic has prompted a real period of introspection, individual exploration and self actualisation, and this album shows to us that everything changes but change itself, and far from a frightening horizon, growth and change are integral to the human experience.

Turnover have delivered a fantastic piece of work, and the future shows that whatever they go on to produce next will be far from a safe rehashing of the past. The question is, however, can they turn the lessons they’ve learned about themselves into a message that connects to the listener as well as ‘Peripheral Vision’ did? It is entirely possible, and it is with bated breath that we wait to see where Turnover grows to next.