‘Crystalpunk’ might be Chalk’s debut album, but there is an overwhelming sense of finality that accompanies its arrival. For four years, the sonic identity of the Belfast pair has been in constant evolution, steadily sailing from jagged post-punk towards the haven of dance music. Ever since former film students and housemates Ross Cullen (vocals) and Ben Goddard (multi-instrumentalist) decided to go full-throttle with this project in 2021, that transformation has visibly unfolded across their ‘Conditions’ EP trilogy.
Now, they’ve attempted to unlock its final form on ‘Crystalpunk’. Somewhat of a halfway house between Nine Inch Nails, Orbital and Idles – who they are supporting this summer – Chalk are not alone in their mission to unify the dancefloor with the mosh pit. But, unlike the wonky sleaziness of My First Time or the runaway escapism of VLURE, there is a throughline of uncompromising intensity that maybe helps them stand tallest. That ethos also defines their “relentless” live show, as they told NME when they appeared on The Cover.
Opener ‘Tongue’, a battering ram of pulverising noise-rock, instantly raises the stakes. As the fourth single from ‘Crystalpunk’, it’s far more serrated and volatile than the radio-ready trio (‘Pain’, ‘Can’t Feel It’ and ‘I.D.C.’) that preceded it. Cullen may sound mighty on ‘Pain’ (“I’ll be the king”), but he is human – with “bones made of brick” – and realises pain isn’t a sign of weakness, but something he can express transparently. Arranging the pieces like a jigsaw puzzle, the psychedelic ‘Can’t Feel It’ unravels another layer of clarity for Cullen, surrounding a repressed first kiss with a male friend who told him “you better keep your mouth shut”.
‘Crystalpunk’ also harnesses a masterful intersection between melody and extremity. Drone interlude ‘Eclipse’ is trailed by the screeching, uncomfortable techno of ‘Skem’. ‘Longer’ pays homage to their more traditional rock roots, stripping away Cullen’s vocal effects in favour of Wunderhorse-esque rawness. ‘One-Nine-Eight-Zero’ borders on alt-pop. ‘Crystalpunk’ might be full of surprises, but Chalk are merely pushing to the extremes the genre-fluid framework that they deliberately figured out – in real time – via those ‘Conditions’ EPs.
The penultimate episode of a mini-series can often be the highlight, and everything on ‘Crystalpunk’ seems to build towards ninth track ‘Béal Feirste’ (Irish for Belfast). Across eight minutes of trippy breakbeat, Chalk produce their own version of Underworld’s ‘Born Slippy’, while Cullen wrestles with perhaps the most complex part of his identity: Irishness. Born to a Catholic mum and Protestant dad, he arrives at the conclusion that although he’s “feeling alone”, he doesn’t have to choose a side: “Jesus Christ ain’t a saviour of mine”.
Instead, he can find peace in carving out his own trajectory. One that’s rooted in solidarity and “standing shoulder to shoulder”, a line that will mean so much when they play their biggest headline shows this spring. And ultimately, for all the personal meaning poured into ‘Crystalpunk’, it’s an album about unity. The unity in the oppositional soundscapes Chalk pull together, and the connection that’s possible once your individuality becomes a badge of pride. Because in ‘Crystalpunk’, there is something to believe in.
Details
- Record label: ALTER Music
- Release date: March 13, 2026