6/10

After initially breaking through with their stunning self-titled debut album in 2018, Australian outfit Parcels went strangely quiet in the years since its release. While they spent months being dubbed as one of the most exciting new names to emerge that year, they chose to step away from the limelight in order to focus themselves when it came to figuring out their next move. And now after three years locked away, they have returned with an explorative double album 'Day/Night', a record that looks to see them rebuild that buzz and create one of their most engaging ventures to date.

When double albums were all the rage in 2019, it was important to establish a distinctive line between the two collections, and with 'Day/Night', that distinction is displayed loud and clear. In the build up to this new material, much of the singles to support it came from the 'Day' side, this rich and uplifting array of sun-kissed delights that perfectly cemented their return. But on 'Night', we see an almost entirely different outfit at the helm, one that looks to pursue the same general aesthetic and tones, but lacking much of the buoyant vibrancy which made the first half such a joy.

While there is still plenty of bold and enjoyable cuts across both hemispheres, its nineteen song tracklist does leave it cluttered with more filler than it needs. Between the two halves, 'Day' certainly stands out as a fresh and exciting release, with 'Night' sadly having trouble keeping its head above water throughout.