SINGAPOREAN band Carpet Golf has returned after a four-year hiatus with its sophomore album In Between, Out of Phase.
A departure from its debut EP Not As Good A Fisherman As Brock Lesnar Is A Man, this album offers a deeply personal exploration of young adulthood, capturing the intensity of change, uncertainty and the evolving dynamics of relationships.
With some of its members stepping into the 9-to-5 working world, while others break away from it and all of them adjusting to life after Singapore’s national service, the album reflects the raw uncertainty and excitement of this pivotal stage in life.
The songs explore the struggles and questions that arise when trying to figure out life in your mid-20s, with the tracks being infused with moments of reflection, such as the bittersweet realisation that friendships sometimes quietly drift apart.
These themes of loss and growth resonate throughout the album, mirroring the shifting nature of personal connections as life moves forward such as Human Things. Written by its frontman Nathaniel when he was 17 years old and drawing from his first experience with love, the song taps into the nostalgia of past relationships.
Meanwhile, Steven For a Year touches on the struggle of figuring out one's path in life. The song conveys moments of self-doubt, feeling out of sync with others and the pressure to succeed, especially when comparing oneself to seemingly more accomplished peers.
The album acknowledges the validity of these struggles, reminding listeners that it is okay to be uncertain.
Other songs such as Born2Lose navigates the complexities of love that feels destined to fail but leaves a lasting imprint, while I Might Die is an exploration of the fragility of life and the weight of uncertainty.
Carpet Golf does not offer easy answers with its heady and introspective In Between, Out of Phase. Instead, it embraces the messy, ever-evolving process of figuring things out, from nostalgic love to the anxiety of making emo music in Singapore and everything in between.
