Preoccupations - Ill At Ease Preoccupations

Album of the Week! Preoccupations – Ill At Ease

Staff Review

Preoccupations are a Canadian post-punk band composed of Matt Flegel, Mike Wallace, Scott Munro, and Daniel Christiansen. Rising from the ashes of the band Women, they first made waves under the name Viet Cong, releasing their acclaimed self-titled debut in 2015 before adopting their current, and now permanent, moniker. The last we heard from them was on Arrangements (2022), a cavernous and brooding record that leaned heavily into the darker, goth-tinged side of post-punk—think Joy Division, early Swans, Bauhaus.

Now, after a three-year gap, new album Ill At Ease arrives, and it begs the question: what, exactly, are Preoccupations ill at ease with? There’s certainly no shortage of global unrest, but the unease here feels more introspective. Could it be with the band’s own sonic evolution? With the brighter, more pop-inflected sound that now radiates through their music? Possibly. But if that’s the case, they needn’t worry. It’s precisely the infusion of shimmering synths, imaginative rhythms, and melodic clarity that makes Ill At Ease such a joy to listen to. After a decade of bracing, noise-laced post-punk, this veteran outfit has let a little sunlight into the cave, and it’s refreshing.

The album opens with Focus, which begins in familiar territory with a brief burst of noise before blooming into sprightly, reverb-soaked guitars, propulsive rhythms, and skittering effects. The melody is catchy, even pop-friendly, reminiscent of the gothy neo-psych of The Church or early Cure. Heavenly backing vocals brighten the song’s outlook, lending it a distinct New Wave feel that’s uncharacteristically upbeat for Preoccupations.

Second track Bastards and the brooding Retrograde bring a touch of darkness back into the mix, though even these tracks maintain an airy, spacious quality that feels newly illuminated. The title track, Ill At Ease, floats with a lilting grace and a sleek, electronic groove that’s more New Order than Joy Division, and eventually erupts into a gloriously grimy guitar solo followed by an anthemic vocal refrain.

Midway through, Andromeda delivers the album’s ecstatic peak. It’s a relentless, psych-infused punk blitz where guitars race, vocals soar, and the band tears loose in a spirited, infectious burst of energy. Later tracks like Panic and Sken continue to echo New Order’s influence, but also show the group’s appetite for experimentation. The rhythms become more unpredictable, and sometimes even danceable in their insistence. Sken, in particular, is a marvel that is constantly shifting, never settling, with endlessly cycling guitars and bright, searing synths rising through the controlled chaos.

It’s a curious phenomenon that seems to come with age for many bands: the softening of once-harsh edges, a shift from aggression to openness. And here, that evolution suits Preoccupations. Ill At Ease doesn’t abandon their roots, rather it reimagines them. There’s still darkness, but now it’s tempered with light. And for a band that’s spent a decade often plumbing the depths, it’s a joy to hear them start reaching for the surface.

Preoccupations is a Canadian post-punk band from Calgary, Alberta, formed in 2012 under the name Viet Cong. The band consists of Matt Flegel (vocals, bass), Scott Munro (guitar, synth), Daniel Christiansen (guitar) and Mike Wallace (drums). Flegel and Wallace had previously been members of the band Women, which broke up in 2010. The group's musical style has been described as "labyrinthine post-punk.”