Feldup - Towards Happiness (2026)
With Towards Happiness, Feldup delivers an ambitious but rather uneven alternative-rock album, exploring psychological distress, grief, self-destructive behaviour and the difficult process of attempting to recover. Following Stared at from a Distance, he expands his musical approach considerably, recording with his band, The Showerheads, and introducing a broader instrumental palette that includes brass alongside the guitars, bass and drums.
It's an interesting evolution, particularly because his earlier music already demonstrated a fascination with emotional vulnerability and unsettling atmospheres. The addition of a full band gives the compositions greater physical weight, while the combination of post-punk, noise rock and more intimate indie-rock arrangements creates opportunities for substantial dynamic contrasts.
However, I find the results considerably less convincing than the underlying ambitions. The emotional sincerity is undeniable, and several compositions contain appealing instrumental ideas, but the extended structures, overwhelming vocal performances and relatively weak melodies make the complete album difficult to appreciate consistently.
What interests me most is the contrast between the record's aggressive instrumental character and its underlying desire for emotional reassurance. The music frequently moves between fragile, almost whispered passages and violent guitar-driven sections, attempting to translate psychological instability into musical form.
I appreciate that approach when the instrumental development reinforces the emotional perspective. However, the repeated escalation towards aggression becomes predictable, and I sometimes find the quieter compositions considerably more affecting.
"(Intro) Catch a Breath" establishes the album's central themes through a brief acoustic introduction.
I appreciate the restrained approach, particularly because the simple arrangement allows the vulnerability of the writing to emerge without excessive musical drama.
The lyrics present breathing as something that requires conscious effort, introducing the sense of emotional exhaustion that dominates much of the record.
However, the composition is too brief to establish a substantial musical identity. It functions effectively as an introduction, but offers relatively little independent listening value.
"Running on Empty (The Sacrifice)" is one of the album's most ambitious compositions, extending towards nine minutes.
I appreciate its combination of post-rock structures, aggressive guitars and more expansive instrumental arrangements. The use of brass is particularly interesting, adding another dimension to the relationship between tension and release.
The composition demonstrates how effectively Feldup can construct an atmosphere of emotional instability through instrumental contrasts.
However, I find the extended structure rather excessive. Some passages seem unnecessarily prolonged, while the repeated movements between restraint and aggression eventually become predictable.
The emotional intensity is convincing, but the songwriting doesn't always justify the duration. I would have appreciated a more disciplined arrangement with stronger melodic themes and less dependence on instrumental escalation.
"Get Up OK" introduces a more direct noise-rock character, with aggressive instrumentation and a stronger sense of rhythmic urgency.
I appreciate the additional energy, particularly because it provides contrast with the more reflective opening compositions.
However, the arrangement feels somewhat abrasive without becoming especially memorable. The guitars create considerable noise, but relatively few distinctive musical ideas emerge from the intensity.
The vocal performance is also rather confrontational, and I find the emotional expression occasionally exaggerated.
It's an energetic composition, but not one I particularly want to revisit.
"Starless Skies" offers a welcome change of atmosphere, moving towards a more delicate and introspective approach.
I particularly appreciate the softer instrumentation, which allows the melancholy to emerge without constant aggression.
The composition demonstrates that Feldup can create an effective emotional environment through restraint. The quieter passages have more space, giving the vocals and instrumental textures an appealing sense of vulnerability.
However, the songwriting remains relatively understated. The melody is pleasant enough, but not especially memorable, and the arrangement could benefit from more substantial development.
Nevertheless, it's one of the record's more enjoyable moments.
"Take Your Time" continues the exploration of psychological vulnerability, combining restrained melodic passages with occasional increases in instrumental intensity.
I appreciate the relationship between the title and the album's broader themes. The suggestion that recovery requires patience rather than an immediate transformation provides a worthwhile perspective.
The instrumental arrangement benefits from the broader ensemble, particularly the occasional brass contributions.
However, I find the musical development rather predictable. The composition follows a familiar trajectory towards greater emotional intensity without introducing enough unexpected rhythmic or melodic ideas.
It's a reasonable track, but not particularly distinctive.
"Clothes on the Ground / Melting" is one of the more interesting compositions in terms of atmosphere.
The title connects ordinary domestic imagery with the suggestion of psychological disintegration, providing an evocative foundation for the music.
I appreciate the willingness to explore different textures and contrasting levels of intensity rather than relying exclusively on conventional rock structures.
However, the composition feels somewhat fragmented. The transitions between different musical ideas don't always seem entirely natural, while the melody remains relatively elusive.
The arrangement is interesting in places, but I find the overall structure insufficiently coherent.
"Cover My Ears" offers another comparatively direct post-punk approach.
I appreciate the central image of wanting to escape overwhelming experiences, particularly because it communicates psychological distress through a recognisable physical response.
The more rhythmic arrangement gives the composition a stronger sense of momentum than some of the longer tracks.
However, the repetitive refrain and aggressive vocal performance become rather exhausting. I find the emotional message clear, but the songwriting doesn't introduce enough variation to maintain interest.
The brass arrangements are appealing, although they don't entirely compensate for the limited melodic development.
"Unusual Order" moves towards a darker and more oppressive atmosphere.
I appreciate the sense of unease, particularly because Feldup's music is often most effective when it allows discomfort to emerge gradually rather than relying on immediate aggression.
However, the composition remains relatively static. The musical ideas don't develop sufficiently, and the atmosphere eventually becomes more monotonous than unsettling.
It's another example of the album's tendency to establish a compelling emotional environment without constructing a particularly memorable song.
The title track, "Towards Happiness", is the album's longest composition, extending beyond eleven minutes.
Conceptually, it's one of the record's most important moments. The lyrics explore the possibility of temporary relief from psychological distress while acknowledging that recovery rarely follows a straightforward path.
I appreciate the refusal to present happiness as a permanent destination. Instead, Feldup recognises that moments of reassurance can coexist with recurring difficulties, unresolved grief and persistent emotional uncertainty.
This is an interesting and emotionally mature perspective.
However, I find the execution unnecessarily prolonged. The extended lyrical passages frequently repeat similar ideas, while the instrumental arrangements don't always provide sufficient variation.
The vocal performance also becomes overwhelming, with repeated expressions of distress that gradually lose some of their emotional impact.
I appreciate the sincerity, but I would have preferred more restraint. The composition could have communicated its central message more effectively through a shorter and more carefully structured arrangement.
Rather than becoming the album's emotional climax, it occasionally feels like an exhausting accumulation of ideas that have already appeared elsewhere.
"(Epilogue) One and the Same" is my favourite track on the album.
What distinguishes it is precisely the quality I often miss from the preceding compositions: restraint.
After nearly fifty minutes of abrasive guitars, psychological distress and frequently overwhelming emotional expression, the closing epilogue provides a more intimate and reflective perspective.
I particularly appreciate the change in emotional register. Instead of attempting to communicate vulnerability through instrumental aggression, the composition allows the quieter atmosphere to carry much of the emotional weight.
The underlying idea is also appealing. Recovery doesn't necessarily involve becoming an entirely different person or permanently escaping every difficult experience. It can involve learning to accept the continuity between one's past and present identities.
That perspective gives the album a more convincing conclusion than a triumphant declaration of happiness would have provided.
I appreciate the relationship between the title and the broader narrative. The suggestion of remaining fundamentally the same person while developing a different understanding of oneself introduces a more nuanced emotional perspective.
The restrained instrumentation is particularly appropriate. The absence of another overwhelming climax makes the composition feel more sincere, and the quieter character allows the emotional meaning to emerge without excessive theatricality.
This is where Feldup's songwriting feels most convincing to me. The vulnerability is not presented as something that requires enormous musical gestures to become meaningful.
Instead, the composition creates space for reflection, allowing the listener to consider the preceding emotional journey from a more measured perspective.
I would still have appreciated a slightly stronger melodic identity, but the atmosphere and conceptual significance make it the album's most rewarding moment.
It also demonstrates a direction I would be interested in hearing Feldup explore more extensively: intimate, atmospheric songwriting in which emotional depth comes from subtlety rather than constant escalation.
My principal reservation concerns the album's excessive emotional intensity.
Feldup clearly wants to communicate the reality of difficult psychological experiences without disguising their discomfort. I appreciate that intention, particularly because the music avoids presenting recovery as something simple or guaranteed.
However, the repeated use of aggressive guitars, desperate vocals and extended instrumental climaxes eventually becomes predictable.
The strongest emotional contrasts require moments of restraint. When too many compositions reach similar levels of intensity, the individual climaxes lose some of their impact.
This is why I find the closing epilogue particularly effective. Its quieter approach provides the kind of emotional contrast that much of the album lacks.
The extended structures are another limitation. "Running on Empty (The Sacrifice)" and "Towards Happiness" are ambitious compositions, but their durations don't always feel justified by the musical development.
I appreciate long-form rock when the arrangements introduce substantial harmonic, rhythmic or textural progression.
Here, however, some passages seem to prolong an emotional state rather than transform it into something musically distinctive.
The melodies are also relatively weak. The instrumental arrangements contain interesting ideas, particularly through the combination of post-punk guitars and brass instrumentation, but few compositions establish memorable melodic themes.
I find myself appreciating the atmosphere or conceptual ambition without necessarily wanting to revisit the songs.
The vocal delivery is another mixed element. Feldup's exposed performances give the record sincerity, but the more desperate expressions occasionally become excessive.
I generally connect more strongly with restrained vocals when the music itself already communicates distress. Constant emotional confrontation can become tiring, particularly across nearly fifty-two minutes.
The production is more successful. Recording with a full band has given the music greater physical presence, while the brass arrangements introduce a distinctive element within the broader post-punk aesthetic.
I particularly appreciate the potential of these instruments to create unexpected contrasts with the guitars and percussion.
However, the album doesn't consistently exploit those possibilities. Too often, the arrangements return to familiar movements between quiet passages and aggressive climaxes.
The influence of contemporary experimental post-punk is also noticeable. The nervous rhythmic structures, abrasive guitars and theatrical emotional intensity recall several artists associated with the modern British underground.
I appreciate that musical tradition, but Towards Happiness doesn't always establish a sufficiently distinctive identity within it.
The lyrical approach is another source of frustration. The themes of grief, trauma, anxiety and self-acceptance are meaningful, but the writing occasionally becomes too direct.
I appreciate emotional honesty, yet I also value ambiguity and suggestion. Some of the most affecting compositions allow listeners to discover their own interpretations rather than explaining every psychological detail.
The album's repeated declarations of distress leave relatively little space for that kind of subtlety.
Nevertheless, there are several worthwhile qualities. The conceptual framework is coherent, moving from the struggle to breathe towards a more reflective understanding of recovery.
The title is particularly appropriate. Happiness is presented as a direction rather than a permanent achievement, and the album acknowledges that emotional progress can coexist with uncertainty.
I also appreciate the willingness to experiment with instrumentation and extended structures, even when the results aren't entirely convincing.
The stronger compositions demonstrate Feldup's potential. "Starless Skies" offers an appealingly fragile atmosphere, "Running on Empty (The Sacrifice)" contains some effective instrumental contrasts, and "Cover My Ears" has a more direct rhythmic personality.
However, "(Epilogue) One and the Same" is the moment where the album's emotional and musical intentions feel most naturally aligned.
Its restrained character provides a necessary conclusion to the record's overwhelming intensity, suggesting that vulnerability can be communicated through simplicity rather than constant confrontation.
Ultimately, Towards Happiness is a decent and occasionally compelling alternative-rock album, distinguished by its emotional sincerity, ambitious instrumentation and coherent exploration of psychological distress.
However, the extended compositions, repetitive emotional escalation and shortage of memorable melodies make the complete listening experience more exhausting than consistently rewarding.
I appreciate Feldup's willingness to address difficult experiences without compromise, but I would have preferred greater musical restraint, more substantial melodic development and stronger contrasts between the individual songs.
The closing epilogue demonstrates the potential of a subtler approach, offering the album's most convincing moment of emotional reflection.
There is considerable ambition here, but the execution doesn't always justify the intensity.
66/100
Playing time: 00:51:58
❤️ Favourite track: "(Epilogue) One and the Same"
+ Emotionally sincere and conceptually coherent exploration of psychological distress, self-acceptance and the uncertain process of recovery
+ Ambitious full-band instrumentation, with occasional effective contrasts between post-punk guitars, atmospheric passages and brass arrangements
+ A particularly affecting closing epilogue whose restraint provides a welcome emotional resolution
– Excessively intense vocal performances and repeated aggressive climaxes that become exhausting across the full album
– Overextended compositions and insufficient melodic development, particularly on the longer tracks
– Relatively limited emotional and structural variation, with too many passages relying on similar quiet-loud contrasts
Genre: Art Rock
Country: France
Final Verdict: 66% (Good Album)
Yearly Ranking: 253th / 813
Highlight: One and the Same (Epilogue)
Made me think of:
Black Country, New Road
Black Midi
Slint
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