Palette Knife’s New Album Keyframe Is a Mathy Emo Must-Spin for Summer: Album Review

Photo: Palette Knife 'Keyframe' Album Art

New release alert: It seems like everywhere we turn, we've been seeing the name Palette Knife, and it’s for good reason. Straight from Columbus, OH, the band is here to bring their melodic/mathy Midwest emo tunes to the universe, and is quickly on the rise, proving they can conquer the scene easily with their new drop, Keyframe. The album was released on April 10th and got us hooked the second we hit play.

Let's get into the tunes:

The opener ‘Phoenix Down’ is a HUGE start to the record, with nearly two minutes of instrumental-only goodness. The track goes from a pop punk sound to pure twinkle-chaos. The minute the vocals hit, you’re met with a chill sound contrasting the energetic instrumentals, but then you’re suddenly surprised with extreme vocals; the coolest screams vs cleans, and the song has us shouting about being stressed out and wanting to be alone. This track immediately set the tone for the entire album, and let us tell you, it doesn’t slow down there. 

One thing we noticed about the production of this album is that you frequently feel as if you’re in the room with the band; everything sounds so crisp, and when those twinkly guitars hit, you feel like they’re scratching an itch in your brain. Previously released single ‘Sleep Paralysis’ brings the energy immediately, but throws in a funky feel to the project, showcasing a unique sound to the genre, along with ‘Mimic’, a track you know we’ve all been digging (find it on our underrated by Reddit playlist). 

Most of the album has the same upbeat energy we’ve loved from the second we started spinning the record; lyrically, it pulls at your heartstrings. ‘Faultsiphon’ comes in with an immediate spark before slowing things down, almost giving us a breakdown. The vocals are killer on this track, and it has us singing “giving up feels way too good.” Anyone can put this one on and instantly connect with every word. Keyframe mellows down with ‘Honors English,’ the track has a beautiful softness, starting out acoustically, but then it builds into something way bigger, the shift being earned especially with lines like “everything makes sense in the morning / not addicted, just habit forming” tying into that slow buildup of emotions. 

A standout for us is ‘Prototype V.2’ with lyrics: “I finally learned how to fall in love with myself / but I no longer have the bandwidth to share it.” followed by ‘Ratking Regicide’, which is probably one of our favorites on the album; it’s catchy, groovy, and has fun vibes all around. The following track, ‘Leviathan’, has an intensity throughout with killer drum work. Lines like “sometimes I think you saved my life” give it a more personal edge beneath all that energy. Want a song that makes you want to sing alone? ‘Limit Break’ is the track for you. 

Last but definitely not least. The closing track. ‘ISS’. Beautiful, hazy, full of raw atmosphere, this track feels raw and almost like a live performance. It strips everything back and ends the album on a reflective note, especially with “can gravity sustain us? I feel too heavy to be alone anymore,” closing things out in a really vulnerable way. This feels like the perfect comedown after the rush of Keyframe’s high energy. After an album full of explosive moments, ‘ISS’ feels like the calm after the most fun storm you could ask for.

TOP8’S Take? Keyframe Proves Palette Knife is here to stay.

Overall, the album brings the best out of the genres that Palette Knife clearly gets inspiration from. Self-proclaimed Nerd-Core-Mid-West-Emo, this band is sure to make you crack a smile and get you moving while screaming their lyrics with your entire chest. The album was mixed by Billy Mannino, (Oso Oso, and one of our faves, Macseal), which is something you can really hear; everything feels super intentional and cohesive front to back. They continue to prove themselves with their hard-hitting vocals, songwriting that takes you to another planet, and fun instrumentals. Plus, they can do acoustic, mellowed-down tracks super well. Though lyrically the album hits on some heavy emotions, Keyframe is a feel-good record at its core, and with summer coming up, it’ll definitely stay in our rotation.

Add Keyframe to your playlist, give it a spin, and let us know your favorite track.