Shoegaze textures with loose lyrical threads.

New York City-based rock band Hotline TNT returns with Raspberry Moon, their third studio album. Led entirely by Will Anderson, who writes, records and fronts the band, the project is rooted in layered, distorted guitars and the signature wall of sound typical of shoegaze. Across eleven tracks, Raspberry Moon leans fully into that sonic identity, offering a record that is instrumentally rich but lyrically scattered.

The opener, “Was I Wrong?,” wastes no time diving into heavy distortion, immediately setting the tone. The song begins with dragging guitar and vocal lines that feel slowed down, almost hazy, before shifting gears with quicker strumming and layered riffs. It eventually builds into a guitar solo, fading out on a synth-driven outro.

“Transition Lens” picks up directly from there, opening with the same synth tones. It’s a brief instrumental track, ethereal and electronic, that acts as a bridge rather than a standalone piece. “The Scene” brings back high energy with a distorted guitar riff that anchors the track. Piano and drums add to the force of the arrangement, though the song only includes a short verse, leaving the instruments to do most of the work.

“Julia’s War” further cements the shoegaze foundation. The distorted guitars dominate again as the lyrics circle around longing and ambiguity. Anderson delivers lines like “We got so close to it” alongside “I won’t make you change your style,” but there’s no clear narrative to follow. Lyrical gaps are filled with “na na na na nah” refrains, giving space back to the music.

“Letter to Heaven” keeps things upbeat and guitar-heavy. Lines such as “I’d make a joke and hope that it lands” suggest a hopeful tone, though the lyrics remain general and not especially vivid. “Break Right” shifts into more traditional indie rock. It starts with clean guitars and drums, avoiding distortion for the first time, but returns to it later, blending experimentation with their core sound.

“If Time Flies” also dials down the distortion, pairing deep vocals and harmonies with upbeat guitar work. Lyrically, it takes a more possessive tone with lines like “Say you’re mine / Don’t pretend you’re fine,” adding emotional weight even if it stays somewhat on the surface. “Candle” keeps the pace going with strong guitars and a layered solo built around arpeggios.

“Dance the Night Away” scales things back for a quieter moment. Acoustic instrumentation leads, but distortion creeps in as the track progresses. The lyric “Heartbreak my Valentine” gives a glimpse of emotional conflict in an otherwise sparse song. “Lawnmower” continues in an acoustic style, featuring light percussion and softer distortion in the background. Instrumental breaks dominate, giving the track an unstructured, drifting feel.

Closer “Where U Been?” brings the album full circle with thick, distorted guitars and a return to full shoegaze form. The song expresses finality both emotionally and sonically, with themes of not belonging and endings.

Raspberry Moon delivers a strong sense of identity through sound. The shoegaze style is front and center, and occasional experiments with cleaner tones add variation. Still, the lyrics often feel secondary — exploring themes like possessiveness, insecurity and loss without much depth or storytelling. It’s a solid, cohesive listen for fans of the genre, even if the lyrics don’t leave a lasting impression.