Album review: Bloom – The Light We Chase

On their 2024 debut, Maybe In Another Life, Sydney quintet Bloom caught ears with their infectious brand of melodic hardcore. Here, on follow-up The Light We Chase, they meld the impressive songwriting displayed on that first showing with some new sonic weapons in their already formidable arsenal. They've added the melancholic edges of Midwest emo, alongside late ’90s pop-punk, and a healthy dose of post-hardcore that wrenches at heartstrings. This record deals with nostalgia, disappointment, the weight of expectation and the futility that can come with these feelings in a considered and deliberate manner.

Opener Belrose displays this tremendous variety, from the emotive and controlled start to the violent finish, all within two minutes. Forget Me Not follows with a heavy dose of riffs and crowdkilling, before Out Of Reach tempts all the pop-punkers and post-hardcore fans to sing along sadly in one great big bittersweet group – and abruptly drops you right back into the action, not even finishing the track before another breakdown weaves its way in.

They've got friends along as well, with Movements’ Patrick Miranda joining for the melancholic Keep You, before Jack Bergin of Void Of Vision steps up midway through the two-stepping Act II, one of the more aggressive songs here. Penultimate track Tongue Tied has vocals from Yours Truly’s Mikaila Delgado, and walks the path of downtrodden pop-punk, with acoustic guitar, lyrics about misunderstanding and repeatedly making mistakes, before a swelling back half shows off both Mikaila’s and Jono Hawkey’s excellent vocal ranges.

With variety, intention, impressive musicality and the knowledge to put the song first, Bloom have come into their own here. The Light We Chase will surely continue to make them blossom.

Verdict: 4/5

For fans of: The Wonder Years, Boston Manor, Counterparts

The Light We Chase is out now via Pure Noise