At 26 minutes, Knumears’ debut Directions leans closer to an EP than a traditional full-length album. On paper, it might seem slight, but in reality, it feels anything but. Across 10 tracks, the band stretches that limited runtime into a full, disorienting journey — one shaped by stark contrast, deliberate pacing, and a keen sense of atmosphere.
The L.A. based trio—Matthew Cole (guitar/vocals), Dante Garcia II (bass/vocals), and Frankie Lopez (drums)—first emerged under the name Turn Away, releasing rough, room-recorded demos in 2020 before rebranding as Knumears. That DIY immediacy hasn’t disappeared. If anything, Directions doubles down on it. For all its control, the record hits with incredibly raw intensity—less a polished statement, more a punch to the face.
From the outset, it’s relentless. Waves of anxious, reverb-laden guitar drift into moments of near stillness, only to be shattered by explosive bursts of noise and vocal desperation. This constant push and pull between calm and chaos gives the album its vast sense of scale. The quieter passages don’t just offer relief; they expand the space, making every moment feel larger than its brief runtime suggests. When the heavier sections finally come crashing in, they land with an almost disproportionate force.
That sense of dynamic control isn’t accidental. Produced by Jack Shirley—whose work on Deafheaven’s Sunbather still looms large—the album reveals a fascination with extremes — beauty and abrasion coexisting without cancelling each other out. Yet while Sunbather often feels expansive and luminous, Directions compresses everything into a tighter, more volatile space, creating a claustrophobic feeling that demands immediate attention.
There are also flashes of something more atmospheric threaded throughout. At times, the band drifts into a nocturnal, almost wistful mood that recalls the quieter edges of Mogwai. Then it snaps back into something far more twitchy and abrasive, echoing jagged instincts of Sonic Youth. It’s in these sudden shifts that Knumears truly find their footing, striking a delicate balance between melody and dissonance without letting either side dominate.
What makes Directions so striking is its sheer unpredictability. This isn’t necessarily the record I’d naturally gravitate towards. It’s more extreme, more confrontational than my usual rotation. Yet, its execution cuts straight through. The interplay of tone, the constant swing between restraint and cathartic release, makes it hard to resist. And in 2026, with everything feeling as frayed and uncertain as it does, that sense of pure, unfiltered release hits even harder.
Despite its brevity, the album never feels rushed. Each track flows into the next with purpose, building a momentum that carries through the entire runtime. There’s no filler, only a tightly wound sequence that rewards repeated listens, each pass revealing something new within the chaos.
For anyone chasing a pure, thrilling shot of excitement, you won’t go far wrong starting here. Directions may be short, but it leaves a lasting impression. It’s a surprising, brutal, and strangely uplifting ride — the kind of rollercoaster you step off only to queue straight back up for, and one that firmly puts Knumears on the radar.