“How do you reconcile grief, when all it does is take and take again.”
Pinkshift has always been one of those bands that is difficult to directly categorize in terms of their sound, which, while all for the better, has seen them lumped in with the likes of pop-punk over the years. While their earlier sound in 2022 does thread the needle between punk, pop, and post-hardcore sound, it never settled on a singular influence on Love Me Forever. This rumbling has always made Pinkshift an interesting prospect, and left many wondering where their next step would take them. With Earthkeeper, Pinkshift continue in a similar fashion, yet with a new blend of sounds and genres that they have plucked from.
Out of the blocks, there is a grit to Pinkshift‘s sound on Earthkeeper, as the bark of “Fuck your guns and fuck your violence” opens up the record. It is here where Pinkshift present their immediate contrast of sound, with a ruthless Kumar drawing on a more hardcore sound. As the chanted choruses touch on a softer style, this is a track that would have perhaps benefitted from going fully in on its heavier influences, yet still serves as a decent opener. The gears change when Pinkshift return to more familiar territory on “Anita Ride” and “Evil Eye“, both having a ruthless aggression in their contrast between the cleans and the heavier moments. With the latter of the two drawing on more “nu” influences, this tandem makes for a listen that works very well and has one hell of a breakdown.
It is on “Don’t Fight” that Earthkeeper reaches out and grabs the listener by the scruff of the neck. Pulling on that gaze thread that so many have enjoyed over the recent years, it might seem like an immediate track to throw on the pile with the rest. Pinkshift do pull off something quite special here. There is a heartfelt and almost confessional nature to the track, akin to what Second Impact produced on “Effigy“, that drives at the emotions of those listening. As the yells of “I wanna know there’s something to believe” fill the track, the sheer rawness at hand makes it unforgettable, and a small reminder of the humanity music can offer.
When such an outburst of emotion is presented on a record, there is always the mire of how to follow on. While some usually opt for an interlude, Pinkshift carry on with “Patience“. A ballad-esque track, it is almost akin to that of some of the slower 2000s bands presented, where Kumar showcases their gorgeous cleans. Reverbed chords echo around “Spiritseeker” too, which pulls in the weight of some 2000s sounding nu-riffs to give an extra weight to the tracks.
There is a contrast of sounds presented on Earthkeeper that keeps the record interesting. “Freefall” has the air of a Paramore song from Riot!. As the jangling and relentless guitars move through the track, there is a prose to the vocals that gives it a distinct attitude. As this moves into “Suspended“, which coins the expansive Deftones style that Loathe have done so well, it does feel at times that Earthkeeper bounces between sounds and influences with a lack of joinery. While it is welcome that Pinkshift are exploring these new sounds, and all the better for it, at times it’s a shift that can feel disjointed from what came before.
As later cuts, and especially closer “Something More” kick in, it is evident that Pinkshift have made a record that is full of heart and passion. “Life is beautiful, created my own vision of it” is a reminder of the vulnerability that Pinkshift opens up here. Often, many artists can get lost in verbosity when addressing similar topics, yet Pinkshift have chosen a more direct, and perhaps human route. Their experimentation in sound is commendable. With further refinement, they’ll undoubtedly produce a grandiose sound with breakout potential. For now, what Pinkshift have produced continues to be deeply impressive.
8/10
Earthkeeper is out August 29th via Hopeless Records, and can be pre-ordered here.