You can tell from the sheer passion in their vocals that this album was a joy to make. Shifting from the extraordinary excessive guitar riffs in Hush to the subtle, more profound sound of Capillary Bed, ill peach make their adaptive and expansive musical talents known. With a pop-rock focus, the tracks are heavy on reverberations and strong vocals. However, this does not mean the album is immune from more delicate melodies. Their song Heavyweight, for example, debuted in 2022 after ill peach were struck by the cruelty of a former Mississippi governor regarding women’s rights, turning unfathomable rage into the plucking of strings and the raw sound of acoustic, isolated vocals. “[J]ust trying to keep it light,” ill peach try to relieve tension, imitating the peace of feeling light, giving hope that light at the end of the tunnel will eventually be visible.

The range of this album is insane, not only tune-wise but also theme and lyrics-wise. Dealing with the combination of anxiety and certainty, ill peach manage to blend all kinds of sounds and vibes melding them into a rock-princess, celestial dance beat. The only correct way to listen to this album is either full-blast in the car with the windows down or in a neon-lit room that’s damp with the sweat of people dancing. This Is Not an Exit is an animal that cannot be caged and is ready to destroy ears.