Turnstyle - Citizen's Handbook (2023)

Now a decade into their permanent reunion – a tenure exceeding their original 1995-2002 existence – Perth guitar-vs-Casio wunderkinds Turnstyle have released their fourth album, the dryly titled Citizen’s Handbook.

Recorded in-house by Adem K at his Future Ranch studio with fellow band members PJ, GMC and Dean J Davies helping to oversee all aspects of production, Citizen’s Handbook finds the innocent indie kids of yore now a little more world-wisened. Mind you, how could you not be?

Everything that takes a long time in making music has taken even longer over the last few years. The album’s first single, the rousing We Ran with the Pack, was recorded during the pandemic and released in 2021, with the rest of the album recorded throughout 2022.

“We took a less is more approach,” Adem K explains, “keeping the production quick and dirty to some extent, because of the pandemic and life in general. Drum machines were used more predominantly, much like our first record.”

Echoing back to those early days, the likes of Lissa from Benissa has all the hallmarks of that deceptively powerful pop we’ve come to know from Turnstyle, while heartstring-tugging melodies caress the gently anthemic Ancient Future Voices and Band Shirt has all the spirit of beautiful indie abandon.

The years have, however, aged Turnstyle but not damaged their quirk. New single and album opener, Robots Working, is a day-starting call to arms, its drum machine beat and simple yet acrobatic main riff evoking an automaton motion - the daily grind has begun, yet the overall takeaway is endearing and optimistic. Same goes for East 21st Street, a corner where Kraftwerk seemingly meets Pavement. At last.
The flavours though, are plentiful and direct, no songs outstay their welcome. It’s mood for thought. Imitation Radio Station is catchy yet oddly obtuse, while Black Holes is ethereal and strangely haunting for Turnstyle. Top and tailing from the start of the album, the instrumental Robots Ending is a signing-off tune – the Turnstyle workers punching the clock with the knowledge that they’ll be back to do this again.

With a history and a present like this, let’s certainly hope so. The Future Ranch is waiting.