After a long hiatus, the Neighbourhood finally released a new album. As someone who thought they had disbanded forever, I was surprised and genuinely excited.
Their fifth studio album, (((((ultraSOUND))))), released on Nov. 14, 2025, opens with “Hula Girl.” Overall, it’s a strong opening track with memorable lyrics and smooth, layered vocals. One line that stood out to me was, “All my dreams, all my hopes out the window,” which captures the album’s emotional undercurrent.
Released as a single from the album, “Lovebomb” is easily my favorite track on the album. I absolutely love everything about “Lovebomb” from its melody to its lyrics. The song carries a strong sense of longing that many other people, including me, could relate to. The song’s overall vibe and lyrics were really fun to listen to, according to Noemi Portee, freshman.
One of the louder songs on the album, “OMG,” can be described as chaotic or “too much” due to noticeably strong drums and layered vocals. However, instead of feeling overwhelming to me, it comes together in a way that feels exciting and intense.
“Holy Ghost” would be another standout to me. The opening is engaging, and the chorus is enjoyable. The repeated line “Hold me close” may seem simple, but it fits seamlessly into the song and increases its emotional impact.
I’ve always appreciated The Neighbourhood’s song intros, and “Private” is no exception. While I did enjoy the chorus, it felt really overextended. The song had a lot of potential that the repetition ate up. One element I found rather annoying was a female voice announcing the album and band name during the songs. It actually appears in multiple tracks, and I think it doesn’t fit and is unnecessary. But the overall song came together well, and I find myself listening to it more than other songs in the album.
There were a few tracks that felt more neutral to me. I usually need multiple listens before forming a strong opinion, and songs like “Rabbit,” “Planet,” and “Tide” fall into this category. Each song has moments I enjoy, but none have blown my mind yet.
“Lil Ol Me” feels noticeably different from many of the other songs on the album. While most tracks feature mostly electronic elements and layered vocals, this one embraces a more straightforward rock sound. Although it’s a solid song on its own, the contrast makes it feel somewhat out of place, and I rarely revisit it.
On the other hand, the rest of the songs in the album: “Daisy Chain,” “Zombie,” “Mama Drama,” and “Stupid Boy,” simply didn’t stand out to me on first listen. They felt more like fillers to me, though I may warm up to them over time.
The deluxe edition, (((((ultraSOUND)))))+, released on Feb. 20, added five new additions to the album. Honestly, I enjoyed these additions much more than most of the original album. I did note that each track was so different from the other, and surprisingly, that variety made the songs more engaging to me.
It ironically starts with the song “Start,” and I was genuinely caught off guard by the sound of it in the best way possible. The more carefree, upbeat energy gave a refreshing introduction to the deluxe tracks.
“Bed” quickly became one of my favorite songs of the deluxe edition. Its intro is especially appealing, and while it leans more into electronic vocal effects, I appreciated the difference from the band’s more popular styles. The lyrics are also quite relatable, which made it more enjoyable for me.
“Red Flag” was another song that surprised me with its upbeat tone. While I didn’t immediately love it, I can see it growing on me over time, depending on my mood. I feel like listeners who enjoy more energetic and hype-driven songs will appreciate it right away.
Finally, “Good Grief” and “Lulu” were both good listens. They didn’t leave a huge impact on me, but I most definitely won’t consider them as weak tracks. With a few more listens, I could easily see them becoming some of my favorites on the album.
Overall, (((((ultraSOUND))))) seems like a solid return for The Neighbourhood. Even though every track doesn’t stand out, the album successfully captures the band’s signature sound while experimenting with new sounds to keep things interesting.
