Let me start by saying that this was a review that I never thought that I'd ever write. When they announced their swan song in 2015 (the brilliant self-titled album worth a listen on its own), I thought that was it for the band. So it came as a complete shock to this listener when I discovered that Falling Up were back almost a decade later with a brand new album. It was especially nostalgic for me considering that I got the chance to review their very first album, Crashings, for my high school newspaper way back in 2004. The real question quickly became what would the new album sound like after nine years away from the business?

Well, for starters, this album serves as both an ending to what we know as Falling Up and the introduction of the next phase in the band's life, known as The Chilling Alpine Adventure. More than just an album title (taken from a song from their 2009 album, Fangs!), it's also the name of their new band and serves as a transition between the two. The album kicks off with "The Waterfall House," an ethereal opening that serves as the perfect start to the album. Harkening back to the sounds heard on Fangs!, it's a great introduction to Falling Up 2.0.

What follows is "Five Angle," the first song released from the album. The tempo kicks up, leading into a simplistic chorus that just repeats "Save us" over and over. Despite the simplicity, I've learned that Jessy always does things deliberately, and never to question someone as lyrically talented as he is, even if this listener sometimes can't always see the meaning behind the lyrics. Following that, we get "That's Reanimation!," another uptempo track that keeps the album rolling along.

From there, we reach an album highlight with "Recruitment," which begins with nothing but a haunting piano intro and Jessy's beautiful voice carrying it into the crescendo that is its chorus. Things then begin to slow back down with "Processing," before slowing down even more with another album highlight, "Counter Moves," which kicks off the back half of the album. "Autumn 38" follows, bringing in a synthesizer-like sound to help pick up the tempo that continues with "Double Afterlife."

"Tall Grass in the Lobby" kicks in the guitar riffs and stands out as one of the heavier songs on the album, while "The Version" adds a perfect end cap to this musical journey. To say that in 2025 The Chilling Alpine Adventure was the album that I didn't know that I needed is a severe understatement. Everything flows together both musically and lyrically in a way that only Jessy can do. Here's to hoping that this is only the beginning of The Chilling Alpine Adventure's next chapter.