For Tracy Hyde has long been teasing their fifth album, Hotel Insomnia. Short video clips of the recording process and live shows in which they play unreleased music have been circulating the internet, leaving fans wanting nothing more than an official release date. Well it’s here! With the Mark Gardener of Ride mastering the entire album, there’s no doubt that Hotel Insomnia is going to be an instant classic.
Influenced by the sounds of dream pop, shoegaze, grunge, emo, and more, For Tracy Hyde has continued to grow and evolve, moving deftly between the glittering J-POP of their debut album Film Bleu to Sonic Youth-esque guitar tones on their most recent album, Ethernity. Their fifth album, Hotel Insomnia, sees them take that even further; a unique melding of genres that simultaneously showcases their history while also incorporating new sounds and influences. “Kodiak” sees them push their fuzzed out guitars to new lengths, achieving a kind of psychedelic bliss that calls to mind the work of Spacemen 3. On the other side of the coin is “Subway Station Revelation”, a song as close to pure J-POP that you’re ever going to get from For Tracy Hyde. Principal songwriter and guitarist, natsubot’s pop sensibilities shine, giving lead vocalist eureka plenty of space to shine. Lead singles “Milkshake” and “Undulate” strike an exquisite balance, combining squealing, distorted guitars with catchy melodies. Every song is unique in its identity and influences, yet all of them are unmistakably by For Tracy Hyde.
Hotel Insomnia sees a band at the height of their powers, developing what had long been a unique sound into something even more colorful than it was before. Despite mastering from Ride’s Mark Gardener, the record still sounds distinctly Japanese, a testament to both Gardener’s skill, and the immense talent of For Tracy Hyde. Book your tickets to Hotel Insomnia now!