DICE have been making waves in the indie-rock scene over the past few years, selling out shows across the US, Europe, and the UK. Their sophomore album, ‘I Thought The Altitude Would Make It Worth The View’, continues to define their sound, a sound that almost identically mirrors the 2010s indie era that dominated British airwaves for a decade.
While this style isn’t inherently bad, the genre has lost significant momentum over the past six years. Simply put, it has been done in every font, color, and size imaginable. It is a formula somewhat wrung dry, requiring a truly fresh perspective to revitalize. Unfortunately, this latest record from the Perth-based four-piece isn’t quite the catalyst for a revival.
That said, the album succeeds in delivering uplifting indie anthems designed to create the euphoric, crowd-pleasing atmosphere listeners love. Tracks like ‘Echo’ and ‘Loose Change’ were clearly born for the stage, showcasing the band’s knack for catchy guitar riffs, major-chord progressions, and bright audio effects. Crisp, energetic production elevates the tracks, cutting the guitars cleanly to make room for the real star of the show: the vocals.
Lead singer Ben Hodge is the unquestionable highlight of the record. He delivers lyrics with conviction and confidence, shifting effortlessly between delicate vulnerability and compelling boldness.
Together, the music and vocal delivery evoke a welcome sense of nostalgia. However, once you peer beneath the surface, the structural and lyrical simplicity becomes glaring, particularly when measured against the current landscape of indie music in 2026. Songs like ‘Footprints’ and ‘Rooftops’ heavily echo acts like Two Door Cinema Club, The Wombats, Viola Beach, and Circa Waves. Meanwhile, cuts like ‘Call Me For A Good Time’ and ‘Breathe’ feel distinctly middle-of-the-road, relying on basic arrangements and surface-level romantic tropes that rarely provoke a strong reaction.
Ultimately, ‘I Thought The Altitude Would Make It Worth The View’ doesn’t quite break out of the pack. While you would be thrilled to catch DICE’s vibrant set while stumbling across a festival field this summer, the record itself struggles to push boundaries. It may not reinvent the wheel, but Hodge’s stellar vocal performance is more than enough to keep the album afloat.
The post Dice’s I Thought The Altitude Would Make It Worth The View: High Energy, Low Innovation appeared first on Indie is not a genre.