Album Review: Textures - Genotype (2026, Kscope)
- Stuart Ball
- 6 hours ago
- 6 min read
Written: 10th January 2026
It was with much disappointment for fans and peers alike that Dutch band Textures announced their disbandment in in 2017 following the release of their fifth album Phenotype and the successful subsequent tour. This development meant that the planned released Genotype would never see the light of day. Nevertheless, having signalled their intent to return, June 2025 saw the release of their first new music for almost a decade, the single Closer To The Unknown – more of which later. When bands take such long hiatuses and return with several years between releases, it is not unusual for a change in line-up. However, Genotype features exactly the same line-up as the one to be found on its predecessor. It is also interesting to note that it is entirely new, written from scratch.
Textures take their time to reach full speed on Genotype. Opening track Void is a gorgeous instrumental that builds continually over its almost four minute running time, melding cinematic scale with shimmering layers of synths, soaring cathartic guitar and hints of the aggression to come. Void leads into At The Edge Of Winter, one of the previously released singles, which features Charlotte Wessels as guest vocalist. Wessels - who is on excellent form - and Daniël de Jongh combine wonderfully, with the latter diving into his growling vocals to bring variety to the track. Crystalline harmonies, moments of feral aggression, atmospheric synths and polyrhythmic grooves all combine to make At The Edge of Winter an exceptional choice for the first ‘song’ on Genotype to showcase what this new offering from Textures will offer. Lyrically, it dives into themes of nostalgia, transformation, introspection and acceptance of change. It’s in the coiling of the snakes / That we find our healing / The touch of a caring hand / The warmth of an open flame.
Almost seven minutes in length, Measuring the Heavens is diverse and labyrinthine. There are moments in the quiet introduction that hint at Leprous and Linkin Park as keyboards oscillate, then begin to pulsate alongside Remko Tielemans’s bass and Stef Broks’s drums. This gentler approach quickly changes as serrated guitars battle with transcendent synths. A central instrumental section begins belligerent and djent-infused before dissipating and leaving only Uri Dijk’s keyboards and de Jongh’s impassioned and sonorous voice. My perception falls apart / My restless change of seasons / My body fears the open heart / Seeds of wonder / For I will cry out / My hands are aching / A lifeline fading. As he delivers the last of these lines, de Jongh’s voice reaches for the heavens and Joe Tal’s and Bart Hennephof’s guitars attack with vociferous intent bringing a tempest of serrated riffs to the fore.
Nautical Dusk – which tackles feeling lost and uncertain in life – begins with kaleidoscopic keyboards intertwining with occasional monolithic riffs and thunderous drums before they all amalgamate, and chugging heavy metal riffs add moments of simplicity before the breakdown arrives in tectonic glory. A confidently towering vocal performance from de Jongh, an immersive keyboard solo and a stunning ending guitar solo all combine to produce a contender for my favourite on the album.
Vanishing Twin, released as a single in December, opens solely with reverberant harmonies from de Jongh. My insides, they hurt / They twist and convert / The body into mind / My tongue, it hurts / It twists and converts / This story into words. Precise and thunderous bass sets the scene as frenetic drums, which come in hypnotic rolling waves, drive the song forward. The atmosphere throbs with a raw, almost primal urgency together with an aching tension and a meditation on loss, which is reflected in Stef Brok's comments on the track, “I have two relatives who struggle with the so-called Lost or Vanishing Twin syndrome. This happens when two foetuses emerge in the womb, but one of them is absorbed by the woman’s body or the other twin. The remaining child that is being born will often deal with the traumatic feeling of having lost a brother/sister and this can shape their life in a significant way.” Vanishing Twin has some moments of uncompromising force that reaffirm Textures’ ability to channel intensity whenever the composition demands a decisive strike.
Bringing diversity to the album, Closer To The Unknown fuses a hard-edged assault with a more streamlined structure, striking a balance between immediacy and sheer force, and proving hostility can coexist with accessibility. At times, penultimate song A Seat For the Like-Minded more heavily embraces the band’s progressive influences while successfully managing to interweave angular rhythms, brooding undertones and cascading drum patterns. The lyrics examine feeling broken and guarded, struggling to fit in, learning to break down walls and rediscovering your true self. The inner child’s wandering / Searching for a hand, it’s blind / To guide it far away from here / So it can regain its sight. There is anguish in de Jongh’s tormented vocals and the cataclysmic conclusion to the track sees this overflow, as clean and snarling growling vocals overlap. It likes to shield me, wants to harm me / I will play along / It strives to shield me, longs to harm me / I just played along.
As with many albums, the almost eight minute final track Walls of the Soul is a conglomeration of many the musical aspects to be found elsewhere on Genotype. De Jongh’s vocals across the album are strong; his gutturals here are particularly pulverising and sitting alongside some melismatic vocal runs, it demonstrates a mastery of contrast, where primal force and melodic sophistication converge. Lyrically, the song moves from crushing despair to a flicker of hope, then plunges into frantic longing and ends in hollow paralysis. The dark entity has eroded the walls of the soul / Leaving but scars on the once so resilient fortitude / Disbelief has taken the place of conviction / Convulsion is all that remains of this tenacious constitution.
Genotype is a measured but nonetheless compelling return, built on precision and intent rather than complete reinvention. The musicianship is consistently strong, each layer crafted with clarity and purpose, proving that time away has sharpened rather than dulled their edge. Lyrically, it carries a quiet empathy for those navigating unseen struggles. Its emotional weight adds depth without excess, making this an inviting entry point for new listeners and a satisfying continuation for long-time fans. Those drawn to the progressive intricacy of acts like Tesseract and Monuments or the elegiac leanings of Leprous will find plenty to admire here. There is some experimentation here but if this release ignites a confidence to push boundaries further next time, then it has more than fulfilled its role. A welcome comeback indeed.
Genotype is released on 23rd January 2026
FOLLOW TEXTURES
TEXTURES TOUR DATES
January 23, 2026 – Cologne – Palladium – Germany
January 24, 2026 – Tilburg – 013 – Netherlands
January 25, 2026 – Brussels – Ancienne Belgique – Belgium
January 27, 2026 – Glasgow – SWG3 – Scotland
January 28, 2026 – Dublin – Olympia – Ireland
January 29, 2026 – Manchester – O2 Ritz – England
January 30, 2026 – Birmingham – O2 Institute – England
January 31, 2026 – London – O2 Kentish Town Forum – England
February 2, 2026 – Paris – L’Olympia – France
February 3, 2026 – Lyon – Le Transbordeur – France
February 4, 2026 – Toulouse – Le Bikini – France
February 6, 2026 – Lisbon – Lav – Portugal
February 7, 2026 – Madrid – Wagon – Spain
February 8, 2026 – Bilbao – Santana 27 – Spain
February 10, 2026 – Trezzo Sull’Adda – Live Club – Italy
February 11, 2026 – Zürich – X-Tra – Switzerland
February 12, 2026 – Stuttgart – LKA Longhorn – Germany
February 13, 2026 – Wiesbaden – Schlachthof – Germany
February 14, 2026 – München – Tonhalle – Germany
February 16, 2026 – Budapest – Barba Negra – Hungary
February 17, 2026 – Vienna – Gasometer – Austria
February 19, 2026 – Prague – Sasazu – Czech Republic
February 20, 2026 – Leipzig – Felsenkeller – Germany
February 21, 2026 – Berlin – Astra – Germany
February 22, 2026 – Warsaw – Progresja – Poland
February 24, 2026 – Helsinki – Kulttuuritalo – Finland
February 25, 2026 – Tampere – Tavara Asema – Finland
February 27, 2026 – Stockholm – Fallan – Sweden
February 28, 2026 – Oslo – Sentrum Scene – Norway
March 1, 2026 – Copenhagen – Amager Bio – Denmark
March 2, 2026 – Hamburg – Große Freiheit 36 – Germany