TILE’s Human On Hold Vol. 2 Finds Power in the Unresolved – Backseat Mafia

On their sophomore EP, Human On Hold Vol. 2, Naarm/Melbourne’s TILE sound like a band exploring the threshold between certainty and doubt — willing to sit with the questions as much as the answers.This is music that wears its questions openly, a series of unresolved tensions built on sharp guitars, brooding basslines, and frontperson James Morris’s baritone vocal that feels both commanding and detached.

Framed as a “cinematic sequel” to last year’s Human On Hold Vol. 1, this release locks in on themes of societal pressure, unsteady relationships, and the messy work of personal growth. It’s not an album about finding answers so much as accepting that some things resist resolution.

Opening track “Cloud” drops listeners straight into the turbulence: clashing, angular guitars over a rhythm section that never quite settles, mirroring the lyrical disorientation. “Gun” follows with a looping, earworm riff that pushes against relentless drums — a song about despair that somehow still finds propulsion. The midway point, “Surrender”, briefly sways into a reggae-tinged intro before detonating into full-force alt-rock, as if refusing to sit still long enough for comfort to set in.

The pacing shifts on “Is It Any Wonder”, which lets in a sliver of space. It’s the most reflective moment here, its downbeat verses offset by a chorus that arcs skyward with counterpoint guitar lines, recalling the melodic instincts of The Cure. Closer “Answer” starts with a moody, 80s-inflected pulse, before erupting into one of the record’s most urgent rock passages. The initial restraint makes the release feel even more cathartic — a final burst of clarity before the curtain drops, even if the questions still hang in the air.

Recorded at Irene’s Warehouse with producer Thomas Keyte and mixed by Holy Holy’s Oscar Dawson, the EP has a tightly wound atmosphere. Every track feels like it could detonate, but TILE keep their grip on the fuse — tension is part of the point.

If Vol. 1 was about taking stock, Vol. 2 is about stepping into the storm, knowing you might not make sense of it. In a local scene often chasing big hooks and quick catharsis, TILE are content to keep asking questions they can’t answer.

Stream Human On Hold HERE.

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