It has been five years since TR/ST released 2014’s Joyland. In an industry that prioritizes constant momentum, taking time to slow down and focus on the creative process could pose a risk of losing audiences, but for his third album, Robert Alfons challenged himself to remain patient and careful; dedicated to both healing himself and ensuring that he was delivering his most cohesive work. Now, 2019 is poised to be the most momentous year yet, and he’s just starting to see the excitement unfurl.

In April, TR/ST released Part 1 of The Destroyer, a double-album in two parts, and embarked on a North American/European tour in the spring. Any doubts regarding the project’s reach were quickly relieved after a sold out tour including shows in New York, LA, London, Berlin, two nights in Paris and Mexico City, among others. “The level of fan enthusiasm and the intensity of their love at shows was much grander than I expected. And that really surprised and moved me,” Alfons says. Now gearing up for a second US/ international tour in the fall, in anticipation of the release of The Destroyer: Part 2 in November, Alfons is excited to share his slow growth in full bloom: playing bigger venues, attracting new listeners, showing his evolving sound.

In a time of impending automation, TR/ST’s music encapsulates the erratic conflicts of the human soul. This emotional complexity is what keeps their discography relevant over many years, and their fans closely engaged. Alfons delivers a hypnotic journey, timeless nostalgia, to a resonant place of feeling that bears returning.