Fresh off a top 10 debut in 2022, anyone who thought The Mysterines would return with something more immediate would be sorely mistaken. Instead, their second album is a gloriously dingy work that inhabits the deepest, darkest crevices of the mind. As the title suggests, it hears frontwoman Leah Metcalf unraveling, digging into lyrics tinged with anxiety and delusions of addiction. Opener “The Last Dance” casts an ominous shadow over the album from the get-go, and it intensifies when a vulnerable yet delirious-sounding Leah launches into a scratchy, whisper-like outro (“An unholy accident/What happens when a doll cuts its strings/”). Elsewhere, “Another, Another, Another” has a placebo-like bravado, while “Tired Animal” gradually ratchets up the album's tension as it emerges. But it's not all gloomy. The acoustic-backed “Hawkmoon” feels fleeting and light (though it soon explodes into a vibrant, punchy instrumental), while “Sink Ya Teeth” is as close to a vibrant banger as they'll get, while the closing two tracks, “So Long” and “Afraid Of Tomorrows,” provide a bittersweet yet somewhat hopeful ending. The quartet may have defy expectations here, but by stepping into the shadows, they've made their boldest move yet.