Microcosms have plenty on their minds, and their debut album Crying Laughing Here With You gives them eight tracks to get it all out. The Chicago rock band moves between frustration, humour and vulnerability, creating a record that feels just as personal as it does political.
'Shortchanged' is one of the album's sharper moments, turning its attention towards the financial system and the frustrations that come with it. It's an example of what Microcosms do particularly well, taking bigger societal issues and filtering them through their own loud, unapologetic style.
But 'Crying Laughing Here With You' isn't only interested in what's happening politically. 'Strangled' brings the record into more personal territory, allowing fear, anxiety and the complicated experience of simply getting through life to sit alongside its wider frustrations.
Across the rest of the album, Microcosms continue to switch perspectives. 'Glug Glug' takes aim at corporate and government greed with a heavier, sludgier sound, while 'Wrapped Up' questions the idea of the perfect suburban life. 'Trampled' adds another dose of personal emotion to a record that refuses to stay in one lane.
That combination is what makes 'Crying Laughing Here With You' work. Microcosms can be angry, funny, uncomfortable and vulnerable without losing the personality at the centre of their music. It's a debut that has something to say but never forgets to make some noise while saying it.
You can stream the new album today, and for more, be sure to follow the band on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X.
