Years of sharp EPs and standout singles by Legss only hinted at what was coming. Unreal arrives like something very special—a grand debut in spirit, more a bold new beginning than a continuation. From the first track, it’s clear how much care, hard work and ambition fuel this record: the sound is broader, richer, and more adventurous than anything they’ve attempted before.
Where earlier releases invited comparisons to fellow post-punk and art rock outfits (who started at the same time as Legss), Unreal finds the four-piece stepping fully into a voice that’s clearly their own. The album roams widely, shifting from intricate, almost cinematic textures to bursts of jagged energy, yet it never feels scattered or forced.
Lyrically, it’s clever and piercingly relatable, threading themes of social anxiety, miscommunication, and the uncanny edges of everyday life (“The tragic and the comic. The unreal”, as stated by the group). It’s heavy and personal without turning dour, balancing weighty ideas with sharp wit and memorable phrasing (“Sleepers, Awake” is an easy standout on the record in this sense).
Most striking, though, is just how beautiful the whole thing sounds. The production is lush but never slick; each listen reveals new layers while preserving the raw nerve that has always defined the band. “Eversince” is the best example of this, easily one of the most gorgeous-sounding songs released this year. For a group long marked as promising, Unreal is a true revelation.
Listen below and buy the LP here.
Acute Pop 