“An album that doesn’t try to look perfect—it tries to tell the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable.”
The Tacet Mode delivers a debut full-length that leans heavily into emotional honesty rather than polish for polish’s sake. Not How You Color is built around transformation, self-awareness, and personal reckoning, but it never feels like it is trying to lecture the listener. It feels more like someone thinking out loud through music.
From the opening stretch, there is a clear sense that this record is shaped by inner conflict. The writing pulls from personal breakdowns, relationship damage, and spiritual questioning, but it is grounded in everyday language rather than abstraction. That choice makes the songs easier to connect with, even when the subject matter is heavy. “Turn the Car Around” is one of the strongest early statements. The guitar work is bright but slightly tense, like it is always leaning forward. The drums stay steady and direct, giving the track a strong pulse without overcomplicating it. There is a feeling of hesitation in the lyrics, but the music keeps pushing anyway. That contrast gives the song its impact. “Wild Country” works in a different way. It opens up more space and allows atmosphere to take control. The textures are wider, and the pacing is slower, but not empty. It feels reflective without becoming distant. This is where the band’s influences show most clearly, with echoes of 80s-inspired indie rock and art rock shaping the tone, but not limiting it.
“Black Honey” brings one of the album’s most direct lines: “If the blemishes don’t show, the world will never know.” It is a simple statement, but it captures the core idea of the record. There is no attempt here to hide flaws. The songs often sit right inside them. Production plays a big role in shaping the identity of the album. With Alex Newport involved, the sound avoids over-smoothing. The guitars keep a slightly rough edge, and the drums feel real and uncompressed. That rawness helps the emotional weight land without feeling staged. What stands out most is how the album handles change. It doesn’t frame transformation as something clean or inspirational. It shows it as uneven and sometimes messy. Songs don’t resolve in neat ways. They just move forward. Not How You Color is not built for instant impact alone. It grows through repetition, especially as the emotional patterns become clearer. It is a record shaped by uncertainty, but it never feels lost. It stays grounded in the act of working things out in real time.
English