I listened to my first Flipturn song back in 2020. “August,” which opens with the lyrics, “We thought love was something / We weren’t meant to find,” quickly became a song that my friends and I played in the car on our drives to the beach. At that moment, I queued the rest of their discography, and since then, I’ve spent years bonding with fellow fans over Flipturn’s music.
Flipturn’s new album “Burnout Days,” which was released on Jan. 24, was one of my most anticipated drops of the new year, especially after spending so much time obsessing over “Juno” — one of the first promotional singles released. I am ecstatic to report that the full album definitely surpassed my expectations.
The album’s thesis is within the title track: Flipturn conveys the idea that the people around us can be what gets us through trying times. The lyrics, “And in the heart of a dying star / I saw you / And I loved you, baby,” paint an image of how one person can be that starlight for another. Throughout the album, a range of songs touch on rehab, identity, and change, but there is repeated mention of a person who acts as a grounding anchor through the storm.
I immediately fell in love with “Swim Between Trees,” which introduces a funky, metronomic melody that stands out both rhythmically and lyrically. Basse unleashes a series of poetic confessions — like, “My love’s a dragonfly / Who paints her eyes in every color / Self-care not self obsession / Learned from your self-expression” — which displays his admiration for those that bring calmness into his life even during the most challenging of situations. The lyrics, along with the cadenced drums, twittering hums, and synthesizer and guitarist Mitch Fountain’s trademark synth — central to Flipturn’s unique sound — are what make this song so addicting. This song and “Tides,” another of one of my favorites, discuss accepting change and remind me that even the hardest of days will pass.
Some of the tracks feature lyrics that sit heavy on the soul, but something that is consistently true about Flipturn is their ability to make a song sound utterly beautiful despite its darker themes. Music gives voice to internal struggles, and often, it’s this vulnerability that makes people want to listen – and quite frankly, I can’t stop listening.
“If It Is” displays more of the band’s lyricism through the discussion of a once-codependent relationship that is now severed by time, space, or maybe falling out of love. Music gives voice to internal struggles, and often, it’s this vulnerability that makes people want to listen; quite frankly, I can’t stop listening. The harmonies toward the second half of this song are layered to produce an emotionally charged sound, synthesizing the lyrics and transformative beat to syncopate their voices over one another. “If it is” is one of the greatest examples of Basse’s range, but the rest of the album showcases his abilities to a tee.
What I love most about “Burnout Days” is how we get to hear lead singer Dillon Basse’s full vocal range. Rigid songs full of charged anger like “Right” are contrasted against tracks like “Tides,” which features the higher end of his range.
If I haven’t convinced you to listen to “Burnout Days” yet, my last request is for you to take a look at the album art. The body thrust backward and an explosion of hand-drawn stars pouring out of it depict the complexities of our internal worlds, while also showing that we are all undoubtedly and imperfectly human. We persevere, despite the burdens we may carry.
Flipturn’s album reassures us that struggle is a normal part of the human experience and can be a reminder that, even when everything seems to be in shambles, surrounding yourself with people that give you the strength to endure any challenge is the answer.
