SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FEATURETTE – MULTISTATE

FEATURETTE
MULTISTATE
DIVISION 11

Featurette continues to move at an impressive pace that grows in momentum with every release. This year alone, the band dropped three singles in lead up to their newest EP, Multistate, their first record since 2025’s full-length album, Panic Pills. On Multistate, the Toronto-based alt-rock trio play with textures and staggering degrees of intensity as they continue to push the boundaries of the genre and exceed expectations.

Multistate opens with “Badlook”, a song highlighted by soaring vocals and an array of digital effects that create a sense of rhythmic and harmonic dissonance. Pulling directly from electronic music, this is a technique that is rarely used by bands, or rather to such an effective degree. Featurette opts for a nearly instrumental and atmospheric refrain in place of a chorus on their opening song, demonstrating a desire to eschew convention as they double down on their alternative sound. The EP continues with “Castles,” a glossier, almost anthemic song that lyrically follows some sort of spiritual yearning. “Castles” acts as the foil to “Badlook;” while not polished, there is a level of refinement to the songwriting that counters intention behind the artistry of the opening song.

If the first two songs set the tone, then the latter half surpasses what has been established. “Xanax” is led by perhaps some of the grittiest instrumentals, a slow burner accented by sultry vocals that ebb and flow somewhere between melancholia and euphoria. There is a darkness to the thematic nature of the song, making it among the best tracks on Multistate. “Animals” follows by building a relentless sense of tension that comes to a release in the glorious outro that shifts from ambient to violently volatile, demonstrating a masterclass in both energy and dynamics. The record comes to a close with “Exit,” a dark horse of a song that brings Multistate to a spectacular close. As the verses move with a rhythmic sway, the choruses hit hard. Between “Exit” and “Xanax”, Featurette are inexplicably heavy without overbearing arrangements, rather gaining momentum through an intensely emotional delivery, making Multistate a stunningly dark album.

Multistate is a complex record that is built upon an air of dystopia and a foundation of digital alchemy. There are flashes that feel nostalgic for the abrasive edge of Deftones and the narrative driven works of Ethel Cain, while the instrumentation and arrangements are reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails with a gritty allure akin to Billie Eilish. Despite this, Multistate feels entirely fresh and incredibly distinctive; a true point of culmination for the band. On Multistate, Featurette is absolutely gripping and breathtakingly intoxicating with an irresistible EP that feels like the start of an all new era.

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