Review

By Amanda Holborn | 22/07/2026

With every record, Beabadoobee has edged a little further from the dreamy bedroom pop that first introduced her to the world. If Beatopia expanded her songwriting ambitions and This Is How Tomorrow Moves sharpened her emotional honesty, then Pylon looks set to be the album where those two worlds collide. Judging by new single Switchblade, it's shaping up to be her most confident and uncompromising work yet. Following the grunge-tinged lead single Sun Has Set, Switchblade doubles down on the darker mood. Built around fuzzy guitars, rumbling bass and slow-burning dynamics, it leans heavily into '90s alternative rock without ever feeling like a nostalgic exercise. Instead, it sounds like an artist fully comfortable filtering those influences through her own unmistakable melodic instincts. Lyrically, Bea continues to wrestle with the uncertainty that's become central to this new era. Asking, "Do you start the fight or take the flight?", she explores self-preservation, insecurity and emotional resilience without pretending there's an easy answer. Rather than searching for neat conclusions, Switchblade embraces the messiness of growing older, allowing vulnerability to sit alongside quiet defiance. Musically, the track is just as compelling. Beginning with understated acoustic textures before gradually introducing waves of distortion, chiming Midwest emo guitars and thick, melodic basslines, the arrangement constantly evolves without losing its sense of restraint. The closing gang vocals provide an exhilarating release, transforming an intimate reflection into something altogether more cathartic. That willingness to push beyond familiar territory appears to define Pylon as a whole. Alongside contributions from Hayley Williams, Chino Moreno, Brendan Yates, Evan Stephens Hall, Andrew Fisher and Shane Moran, the record also sees Matty Healy and George Daniel producing Write Me A Letter. It's an ambitious list of collaborators, but one that feels designed to amplify Bea's evolving vision rather than distract from it. Perhaps the most striking aspect of Switchblade is how naturally this heavier direction suits her. While flashes of grunge and alternative rock have surfaced throughout her catalogue before, they've never sounded this fully realised. The melodies remain instantly recognisable as Beabadoobee, but they're now wrapped in thicker textures, louder guitars and a newfound sense of emotional urgency. If Sun Has Set introduced the world of Pylon, Switchblade throws its doors wide open. It's atmospheric, emotionally rich and effortlessly cool, suggesting Beabadoobee is entering the most exciting creative chapter of her career—and one that could easily produce her defining album.