Koyo Wears Influences On Their Sleeve While Being Fresh With ‘Barely Here’

The Long Island underdogs Koyo have returned with their sophomore effort, with ‘Barely Here’. This marks their first full release since their debut, ‘Would You Miss It?’, back in 2023. This record hits a lot of what makes this band so special and why people have a soft spot for them. Their ability to tap into such key nostalgic elements from the scene, while keeping it fresh has been such a staple for them. And this album is no exception to that, as it keeps consistent all the way through.

The nostalgic vibes on here are most strong in tracks like “Jet Stream Wish”, “You Hate Me”, and the title track of the record. They manage to hit all the right notes and somehow make it their own as well. It’s good to see the scene of the 2000’s feel alive in well in a band like this, or even Static Dress on the other side of it. They also don’t shy away from their signature sound either and why people fell in love with them in the first place in songs like “Saying vs. Meaning”, “Pace and Loiter”, and “Irreversible”. The latter two being particularly impressive with “Pace and Loiter” having easily the best chorus on here with such a bouncy step. And “Irreversible” feeling like absolute high energy chaos, while paying direct homage to “Bonecrusher” by Senses Fail in that main guitar riff for being such an influence in this scene.

The vocalist Joey Chiaramonte really does a great job expanding his range on this record and having his voice be so powerful on these tracks. He especially shines in songs like “Selden Mansions” and “What I’m Worth” where the melodies are absolutely off the chain as well. Drummer Sal Argento also crushes on this record with just how calculated and energetic his fills are when they need to be. He especially stands out in tracks like “You Hate Me” and “Oxidize”. The features from Fleshwater and Drain also do a great job at fitting in on the right tracks and feel so inspired, and they bring an extra level of sauce to already great songs. I also wanna give a shoutout to the guitar tone on this record, it sounds so crisp and exactly how you’d want an album like this to sound in this day and age. Guitarists TJ Rotolico and Harold Griffin do such an awesome job at bringing in the riffs back to back, and making sure these songs pack a punch to them. 

I genuinely think Koyo has matched the level of quality of their debut with ‘Barely Here’. They’re still on the rise at the moment, and I’d be shocked if this album doesn’t make them a bigger name in the scene. But they continue to be as consistent as ever, doing a masterful job at wearing their influences on their sleeve and continue at feeling fresh with each track.