focus teo – “stitch” – Album Review

Alt pop-rock band focus teo are gearing up to drop their brand new album, “~~stitch~~“, in early January 2026. We’ve been lucky enough to get our hands on the record early, and our hype for this record is boundless. Let’s dive in together…

You know you’re about to hear something eclectic when an album’s introductory track samples sound effects from Spongebob Squarepants. Even more so when a Belgian dance beat rages beneath the meme-tastic ukulele. But this is only the beginning!

This project, fronted by Matthew Olsen, is far more than just a solo gig – it’s a family effort, with Matthew’s three sons Jackson, Marshall and Connor adding their own dash of magic to the music.

Track two, the extensively titled, “GHB Torn / Natalie Guesses the Fortune Teller’s Right (Que es Esto)”, is like listening to an unearthed Blink 182 or Sum 41 track – a crisp and energising pop-punk tune that brings the early-mid 00s back into crystalline focus. Then, we swerve into the infectious rap piece, “Skittles (Subsequent Function)” – its polar opposite vibe the ultimate generation-crossing complement to “GHB Torn.”

Nostalgia-driven teen rock atmospheres come crashing back with “Teo Lore Swift,” a bright and snappy pop rock tune detailed with synths, finished with a Looney Toons sample.

And focus teo’s sampling knows no bounds; a heavily distorted take on the US National Anthem introducing the next track on this 16-piece record. The crazily catchy, “I Need You Like Police Gas in My Lungs (Not in Our Name)” soon drops like a Kerrang! hit, before derailing into a haunting sample of a solo singer laced with gunshots.

This high-energy album just keeps on charging forth. But just as you’re attuned with focus teo’s pop-punk standard, the band sever all expectations, dabbling in avant-garde genres which feel like spiralling into madness (in the best possible way, of course).

“Matches to Ashes” is an absolute show-stealer, with one of the Olsen boys taking lead vocals on this fresh and hyperactive hit. The short and snappy “Next Stop, Twilight Zone” transfers eerie sci-fi themes to an emo/pop rock backdrop. “The Adults Are NOT Talking” is like a H&M soundtrack-turned-cool, sinking further into happy-go-lucky synthpop topped with a cynical lyrical take.

Matthew Olsen’s personal favourite, “The Weaknd,” stands out for its realistic tale of teenage dating-gone-wrong; a flashback to high school girl-chasing and scraping through hit-and-miss romantic connections.

“Forever Princess Queen & the Quixotic Chaos King” is about as close to a ballad as “~~stitch~~” gets, before it snaps into a fast-paced banger mixed as if we’re hearing the song bleed through the walls of another room. “Orugo, The Caterpillar” reattempts the ballad atmosphere through its dreamy electric piano-meets-synth soundscape. It’s reminiscent of Owl City, with a twist of world music separating this track from the oversaturated murk of common pop.

“Openings & Closings,” which was composed after watching the stage show One Battle After Another, draws the album to a close, returning to focus teo’s organic rock edge, for once left untampered and supercharged with electric energy.

Overall, “~~stitch~~” sparks a party through sixteen zesty tracks, each a flawless follow-up to its forerunner as the band constantly switches up the highlights and oddities toning their epic pop-punk base. It lets you sink into nostalgia whilst keeping you on edge for the band’s next genre-twisting infestation of sound. And, just in case this record doesn’t scratch that itch for you, a possible remix album of “~~stitch~~” may soon be in the works, due in the latter half of 2026.

But what do we really reckon? Our final verdict on focus teo’s “~~stitch~~“: Highly recommended.

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BELOW: Listen to focus teo and check out their music on Bandcamp, Spotify, YouTube Music and more. Please support focus teo by visiting their website and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing their music. And, as always, thank you for supporting real music.