Toronto’s Holy Fuck have been away for six years since the release of Latin. Their comeback album Congrats is a fine blend of their wild side, their subtle side, and their pop-oriented side.

The album opener “Chimes Broken” is as good as an album opener could get, encompassing the sound of Holy Fuck and setting the tone of the album perfectly. Driving drums, distant vocals, distorted bassline and an explosive climax make for a fully developed song. The band uses the formula of the first track (introducing the main elements, an instrumental break halfway through, climax and conclusion) throughout the album in songs like “Shivering,” “Neon Dad,” “House of Glass,” and “Acidic.” This lends some repetition, but is not a major detriment.

“Shivering” is the best track on the album. There is also an addition of a choir halfway through the song that, while unexpected from Holy Fuck, fits in the context. The track then transitions into a calm instrumental break before building up to a climax with distorted guitars joining the rest of the instruments in conclusion.

The album’s only issue is that it is not cohesive. Of course there are many tracks here that explore the same sounds and instruments, but they do not add anything to the album on top of one another. For instance, “Tom Tom” is merely an instrumental electro pop track with a steady beat, a repetitive distorted vocal melody and bassline that never evolves into something more. The short interlude “Shimmering,” which sounds like a prelude to the next track, does not transition well at all and ends abruptly. The beginning notes of “Acidic” completely depart from what the ending of “Shimmering” might have led to.

Nonetheless, Congrats remains an enjoyable album that orients the subtle, pop-oriented side of Holy Fuck with their more experimental leanings.