Review Summary: calm
Amid the chaos of life,
Tiebreaker is a breather; a moment of peace. Its approach is simple yet effective: throughout the record, Ruby Haunt accentuate soft dream pop with equally soothing synths to create a uniquely serene atmosphere. At no point does the album reach for the stars; instead, every song opts to touch the glow-in-the-dark stars left on your childhood bedroom’s wall. In doing so,
Tiebreaker opts for familiar tranquility rather than ethereality, constructing its eight songs around delicately catchy melodies. ‘River’ complements acoustic strums with a warm haze of synths, before developing into a sleepily buoyant chorus. Wyatt Ininns' vocals feel equal parts detached and inherently embedded in every weightless moment, perfectly enhancing the album’s pristine atmosphere.
Where ‘Splinters’ evokes the sensation of light breeze hitting the waves of a sun-soaked lake while lyrically drowning the song in anxiety-induced declarations of despair, ‘Prairie Fire’ thrives off its uplifting piano melody. The song’s light twinkles showcase
Tiebreaker’s remarkable ability to distill the uncertainties of life into their most quiet, paradoxically lovely forms. Detailing sentiments of wanting to alter one’s entire life, the song manages to contrast the act’s hopeless romanticism with explicit dispiritedness in the space of five lines. Comprising several highly memorable, comfortably hazy moments,
Tiebreaker is a form of escapism while remaining firmly within the realm of all the misery, love, and helplessness in the world.
