Comprised by members of Winter Break, Tough Stuff, Hillary Chillton and Olivias, Settling is a hidden gem in Southern California. Settling has a few demos under their belt but this self-titled record is the first released by Orange County label Diy4lyfe Records.

The artwork for this record, design by Jenny Yu, is some of the best I’ve seen on a smaller scale release. It’s also available on a T-shirt or at least it was at some point.

My favorite track on the record happens to be the first track. “Laundry“, sets the pace and the tone for what’s to follow. This song is fast, short and sweet. It gets right to the point, “There’s always something crushing me”. Whether it be “laundry”, “dishes”, work, or relationships several aspects of everyday life can be anxiety inducing.

“Five Years“, is an amazingly emo track on this record that showcases an all too real depression that might hit fans of the genre close to home. This track is the standout of the record, not because it’s a longer track, but because of its chilling lyrical content.

“Sorry”, may be the most pop punk track on the record but they don’t have to apologize for it!

Settling wraps up the record with “Pillar of Salt“, an emotional pop punk track that does a great job of summarizing the sentiments of the record. The whole record echoes a longing for a change but settling with what’s in front of you.

This self-titled record by Settling would be considered a great early release for any band of the genre. It may not be their personal preference or go against what they want to accomplish, but I believe their sound would greatly benefit by adding another level of production quality to their recordings. Settling needs to get out of their comfort zone and take their music to new listeners. With that being said. I’m excited and looking forward to the future of this band.

https://diy4lyfe.bandcamp.com/album/settling

My Rating: 7/10

-Dan R.