GIFT Went to LA During the Fires, Came Out With Their Most Visceral Album Yet, and “Hand to the Flame” Is the Proof

TJ Freda arrived in Los Angeles in early 2025 planning to decompress, write songs for other people, and put GIFT aside for a while. He arrived to a house full of ash as the fires were still being contained. Instead of stepping back, he found himself in the middle of a creative outpouring, moved by the sight of Angelenos coming together in the aftermath. The songs that emerged were angrier and more visceral than anything GIFT had made before, and they became Frenzy for the Thrill, out January 15 on Captured Tracks.

Where GIFT’s earlier records blended krautrock, new wave, and shoegaze as a way of countering Freda’s panic attacks with transcendence, this one reaches for grunge, 90s alt-rock, and brasher electronic music. Freda co-produced with Teddy Mars of Samples From Mars, and the whole band contributed more than ever before. The result is GIFT’s most muscular record, built on the energy they’ve developed over years of rigorous touring. Lead single “Hand to the Flame” is an aesthetic meeting point of big beats, heavier guitars, and trippy synths, organized around the hubris parable of Icarus and the idea that fire can both destroy and cleanse.

GIFT head out on tour in late October supporting Post Animal before joining Temples for a full November and December run through North America. Pre-order the album below.

Pre-order Frenzy for the Thrill ↗

1“See the Heavens”

2“Hand to the Flame”

3“The Fly”

4“Every Step”

5“Instant Rush”

6“Come Back Down”

7“Higher Than the Knife”

8“I Wanna Be a Toy”

9“I Wish I Met You in Another Life”

10“Into Oblivion”

11“Demon Inside”