With the exuberant praise for their debut album Hills End, Sydney rockers DMA’s set the bar high for their sophomore effort For Now. It is no surprise then, that their new album is one of the most anticipated releases of the year.

When the first two singles, namely Dawning and In The Air, were released it seemed the trio was (intentionally or not) inching away from the frequent Oasis comparisons that have been made ever since their breakthrough in 2015. With Kim Moyes of The Presets on production duties and a new array of songs to chose from, DMA’s have established their own signature sound with album number two.

Video: DMA’s – Dawning

On ballad The End Moyes’ influence is perhaps most prominent in the form of thick layers of synths. The Bee Gee-esque track is the album’s most unexpected track and also its only let-down. While progress is undoubtedly vital for a band, it is hit and miss in this specific case.

With its upbeat melody and layers of guitars, the title track has all the trademarks of a DMA’s song. First single Dawning follows suit with its hands-in-the-air and sing-along-chorus. Time & Money is an early highlight and shows the band’s storytelling capabilities.

Lyrically, For Now deals mostly with boy-meets-girl tropes but also focuses on the band’s rise to fame (“I’ve got time and money for the next life” – Time & Money). With a tongue in cheek remark their refer to their first record “Fell from Hills End, I’m heading home alone” (Do I Need You Now) or rather the place it was named after.

Video: DMA’s – In The Air (Acoustic)

O’Dell’s powerful vocals on Break Me, the softly strummed guitars and heartfelt lyrics on Tape Deck and Health are the album’s later highlights. Lazy Love & Tape Deck are probably the closest to DMA’s earlier material with their signature acoustic guitars while O’Dell’s voice is at its best on the arena-ready Break Me and the slightly psychedelic closer Emily Whyte.

For Now is a worthy follow up to Hills End. It shows the band’s progression as musicians and songwriters. On the downside, this more professional approach results in songs that may feel less personal than their previous work.

For Now is out on April 27th via I Oh You. Catch the band on their upcoming UK & Europe tour. All dates and tickets can be found here.