Today I’m clearing my schedule. Notifications off, the strongest tea brewing, because I already know I won’t be sleeping tonight. Right now, in my headphones, an entire universe is unfolding — and its name is ‘Different Now’, the debut album from Manchester band Meena. To jump ahead, I’ll say that this is an album, a state of mind, an atmosphere, a sonic trip with no simple way out.

Let’s be honest. When I hear the phrase “music from Manchester,” familiar images flare up instantly: monochrome streets, the melancholy of Joy Division, the haughty romance of The Smiths. That heritage weighs heavily, shapes expectations, builds the frame of reference. But William Crook and David Foulger of Meena aren’t trying to fit into that pantheon — I doubt they even care to. They’re true alchemists in an underground lab, building their own world on its ruins, using the bricks of post-punk and shoegaze, binding them together with a futuristic mortar of electronics and trip-hop. Since 2019 they’ve been preparing us with mini-albums, and now I’m holding the result of their defining experiment.

To turn this sonic cocktail into a work of art, Meena brought in heavyweights. At the mixing desk is Ben H. Allen, the man who shaped the sound of Animal Collective and Deerhunter. You can hear it — the wildest ideas gain crystalline precision here. The final touch comes from Frank Arkwright in the holy of holies, Abbey Road Studios. No commentary needed.

The album hits without warning. It crashes into your consciousness with ‘Doreen’. Rattling, fractured drums knock you out of the familiar, while guitar crunch collides with synth hum to create a real cosmos. Heart rate spikes — this is sonic adrenaline. I close my eyes and see not my room but flashes of supernovae, asteroids of guitar riffs shooting past. Amelia Bushell’s airy vocals lead you by the hand through this beautiful, controlled chaos.

Next comes ‘Wonder’, and the pace shifts. The pulse deepens, the atmosphere thickens. Smoky guitar drones wrap around you while rolling beats build a tension that entices rather than frightens. It’s a walk through the nocturnal cityscape of Blade Runner, neon signs reflecting on wet asphalt, every corner hiding a secret.

Then ‘Wait’ arrives — and here’s the Manchester I know and love. Melancholy hanging in the air, echoing beats that sync with my own heartbeat, guitars wailing and weeping. But this is not a dark, crushing sadness. It’s that luminous ache you feel in the taxi ride home after the best party of your life. The elegant vocal threads through it like a silver needle, and instead of sinking into the melancholy, I soar above it, immersed in Meena’s music.

Meena are masters of musical storytelling in short bursts. The title track ‘Different Now’ and ‘Carte d’or’ last barely two minutes. Fleeting, slightly blurred at the edges, yet perfectly capturing the moment. Bright guitar shimmer, looped hypnotic vocals — they never overstay their welcome, leaving a trail of mystery, and my hand automatically reaches for the repeat button. In the album’s context, these brief interludes work flawlessly, creating a kaleidoscopic flow.

The journey’s apex is ‘Creation’. The longest track on the record still falls short of five minutes, yet in that time Meena lead me through every circle of their musical paradise. It’s all here: psychedelic haze, shoegaze bliss, the springy pulse of trip-hop, bursts of indie energy. This is the album’s heart. I’ve played ‘Creation’ at least a dozen times, and each listen reveals new details — a faint synth arpeggio in the background, a sly shift in the drum pattern, a fresh hue in the vocal line. This is music for those who pay attention.

The album closes with ‘Peter’. Soft guitar hum and a groovy beat create the sense of a gentle landing after a dizzying flight. Vocals, drenched in reverb, sound like the echo of every emotion experienced along the way. It’s an ellipsis — a moment of carefree, dreamlike bliss that eases me back into reality.

With this album, Meena have created their own sonic language. Piccadilly Records called it “an explosion of chaos,” and I agree, with one amendment: it’s the most beautiful, ordered explosion I’ve ever heard. ‘Different Now’ is an active experience that demands full immersion. And I’m certain this is only the beginning. Meena are one of those bands you need to know right now, so later you can proudly say, “I heard them when they were just starting to work their magic.” After this album, the musical world truly sounds different to me. It’s ‘Different Now’.

*This review was made possible by SubmitHub