Travel into the jungle of singer Jordan Dreyer’s mind as he recites poetic spurts of anxious agony. Grand Rapids, Michigan’s own La Dispute return with artistic beauty and erratic post-hardcore melodies. Little has changed on their new album, Wildlife. Their tone has only matured with orchestrated guitar riffs between brilliant words. Where some feel intimidated by the weight of this album, other will greet it with ambition. A full spin of this LP puts years on your life.

Wildlife takes jazz, blues and alternative rock and fuses those with manic yelling. There isn’t much lead melody. The guitars follow one another for the most part, but their slightly different tones add depth to the track. They’ve utilized a groovier melody on this album compared to the heavily arpeggiated songs from their last albums. There’s no need to fear though, “The Most Beautiful Bitter Fruit” is one of the few tracks that keeps the dizzying melody. Each track that follows turns the second half of the album into a free for all. Sonically, every song is dug deep within its own genre. No two songs on this album sound alike. If you manage to have the emotional Kevlar to reach “a Broken Jar,” the melodies start to take shape again. The last three tracks descend back into the album. After wandering through crazed rhythms, it’s a good return to come back to less sporadic rhythms.

La Dispute has managed to harness their abstract sound by easing rhythms into abrasive vocal melodies. Stepping outside the box, they turn heads and blow minds. It’ll only be time before they gain control over these new riffs and create newer musical valleys and sonic masterpieces. Wildlife is out now.

★★★★☆

*This review was composed by Jose Terrero