Like a biting poem that leaves a lasting impression in a short space, 24-minute Duality takes you through everything and leaves you alone again while you sit shocked from the whole thing. No filler songs and plenty of sucker punches right to the mouth. It's a hell of a release.

This is an album of self-reflection and awareness, like an open diary, an extended conversation with one's self. You can see it in titles that include "my" or "me", and you'll hear it all over in the messages so poignantly delivered. Smart cohesion always adds extra depth to albums. The Class Notes open with Fuck My Friends, which is all sass and power, delivered with surreal vibrancy. It's also short and to the point: message received.

Track two's lead seems to be talking back to track one. If we're now eavesdropping, we can't possibly leave. The album also begins solidifying its lush r&b soundscape. The production would have permission to pull out all the stops for this tracklist, but keeps the spice on the vp and bass. The upper voices in these arrangements are often given creative lines that sound effect-like in their delivery (especially so on Godless); with this tight soundscape, I was surprised to discover seven arrangers on Duality. Plenty of skills on The Class Notes's bench. And really nice duetists toward the end of the album on Done For Me, which sounds gloriously pop-fresh.

The only stumble comes from As the World Caves In. Here, the backs are a little too loud. This one is also a little plodding in tempo and design. The lead isn't quite centering their pitch and is struggling with vowel projection, too. In an otherwise stellar album, imperfections really stand out.

But one hiccup is a far cry from The Class Notes of yesteryear. Duality is awesome, you'll definitely be impressed.

Duality is an apt name for The Class Notes' latest release, as it represents both the group's past and its future concurrently. While some elements represent more of the same from past albums, there are others that very clearly indicate a progression towards a cohesive and musically excellent product.

Criticisms about pitch accuracy and tone quality are a thing of the distant past for The Class Notes, as this is a fundamentally sound album. Where past criticisms continue is in terms of overly subdued interpretations of arrangements and a general lack of vocal energy on songs that require more. Some are a fairly simple fix, as in missing percussive crashes on downbeats in Godless that would enhance points of emphasis in ways that the bass does insufficiently at present. Others are a matter of disagreement between vp and vocals, as in My Boy and Bad Friend, making it unclear if the piece is meant to be subdued or have more intensity. Some tracks, such as Fuck My Friends, feature a stronger soloist over a less energetic group, and the unevenness is not wholly offensive but keeps the track from excellence. And others, like Don't Wake Me Up, lack the sort of flow that the vocal lines need in order to buoy the solo line, instead expressing things in a more rigid way that conflicts with other sounds. Across the board, vitality, dynamic contrast, character, intensity, and specificity could all increase in the background vocals and some solos.

That said, a few successful tracks indicate that the group is well on its way. Done For Me is a concise, energetic arrangement courtesy of Michael Noor, and the result is a cohesive foundation for strong solos by Issy Saadeh and Summer Seward. The lack of overly busy or obligatory syllables is a boon here, allowing the group to move together rhythmically and stylistically. Similarly, the arrangement of Chains by Avani Bhargava, Sonal Tyagi, and Amal Tyagi does a fantastic job of supporting DeVon Clinkscales's solo work and allowing for successful effects like the octave at the top. It is this simplicity that allows the group to move together to create something greater than the sum of its parts, and what I hope the group strives to replicate in the future.

It is abundantly clear that The Class Notes are at a turning point and there is a great deal of growth to celebrate. At the precipice of that growth, there is Duality, and I look forward to what comes next.

I had high hopes for the Class Notes when I first started listening to this album. While reviewing the group's last release, I described the sound as having the substance, but not the energy to make the sound sparkle. Since then, the group has put in a good amount of legwork to correct that, adding some of that sparkle. However, there is still some work to take this album from good to great.

Let's start with the very *ahem* family-friendly opening track. This track is the most polished product of the entire album. Issy Saadeh's solo is excellently calculated to channel the anger while still maintaining complete control of dynamics and vocal runs. Kinya Wang's arrangement is well-written to provide a strong foundation for the solo to exist without having to carry the weight of the piece. For only two minutes of music, this piece has full growth and decay, introduction of new themes and concepts to allow the song to continue to grow and develop for the entire time.

That polish and sparkle goes away by the middle of the album. As the World Caves In is a victim of a lack of energy. This piece quickly establishes itself as doomsday dreary, with Franklin Deng's solo perfectly encapsulating the somber emotions. However, even for a track with such a bleak outlook, the music needs to grow and evolve. This track starts at a mezzo dynamic and energy. That level of energy never really changes. It maintains one dynamic for the entirety of the piece. Nothing ever sticks out to grab the listener's attention, and I found myself having to listen to the piece multiple times purely to make sure I gave it a fair shake as a reviewer because it fades into the musical background.

As an evaluation, this album falls under the most difficult group to review: works that are good but missing that final spark to make them great. Duality shows a lot of promise. The soloists are strong. The arranging is supportive and interesting. However, the music of the album plateaus constantly and consistently. The climax of pieces at times feels almost as powerful as the first chorus. The dynamics are that last extra spark that this album needs, creating more meaningful phrases and impacts. It's closer than it was, but the group still has a little further on the path to excellence.