Back with their fourth studio effort, and first since 2012’s To End the Illusion of Separation, Papadosio are coming out swinging on the brand new Extras In A Movie. Due out today, October 2nd, the new album features sixteen all original tracks from the thought-conscious ensemble.

As the band told our own Rex Thomson, not only are these songs newly recorded, but they’ve never even been performed! “We haven’t played a single new song at all, which is very, very different from what we’ve done in the past.  Before T.E.T.I.O.S. we played almost all of it… For me it was the biggest act of restraint that I’ve had to do for a long time.”

In-Depth with Papadosio: New Album, New Tour, And That New Tour Bus Smell

So how does the new music live up to the band’s previous work? In a word, perfectly.

The album opens with the a cappella song “The Last Leaf”, lamenting the season change from fall into winter. As the leaves begin to change color and wither away, we’re left with the cold, hard progressive tunes of Papadosio’s new album.

A hard bassline introduces the second song on Extras In A Movie, “Out Of Hiding”. The tune showcases some of the band’s more ambitious songwriting, moving through various musical segments throughout the track. Punctuated by thick basslines and quick chord changes, the song ultimately conveys an uplifting sense of infinite possibility. It’s a powerful number, to say the least.

As always, Papadosio impresses with their attention to musical detail. On tracks like “Glimpse Of Light”, the band’s focus on tone, lyrics and composition are readily apparent. The song floats through spacey segments, with far-reaching lyrical suggestions. Grounded by an almost-industrial sounding bass melody, the second half of the song blasts into the cosmic unknown with high-octave synthesizer melodies. “We all wonder, floating in time/ Sisters, brothers, sharing one mind/ Long lost lovers dying to find / Any glimpse of light at the end of the line.”

This whole album could be defined as a glimpse of light. It’s certainly one of the more progressive works from Papadosio, as the group finds ways to experiment within their own compositional frameworks. A number of songs on the back end of the album feature acoustic guitar work, including “Anima Mundi”, “Open”, “The Wrong Nostalgia” and “We Can Always Come Back”. Then there are tracks like “Ritual”, which delves head-first into sonic weirdness before returning back to Earth.

All in all, Extras In A Movie is an intriguing listen from a talented and attentive ensemble of musicians. The album is thoughtful, rich with organic music attentively pieced together by genuine artists. It’s the type of music that inspires contemplative moments, wrought with the yearning for a better tomorrow. The earnestness of Papadosio’s message, matched with their creativity and musicianship, easily makes Extras In A Movie one of the most exciting new albums of the year.

Extras In A Movie was released today, October 2nd, and can be purchased through Amazon!