In the faraway land of Philadelphia, emo quintet Sweet Pill has emerged from the shadows to announce their sophomore album, “Still There’s a Glow,” set to release March 13, 2026. The long awaited sophomore release comes after near-universal praise for their 2022 debut, “Where the Heart Is,” a 28-minute and 54-second fiery emo cry that’s short but indisputably mighty.
Spending the last four years touring alongside legends like The Wonder Years, Movements, and Slowdive, and taking main stage at Warped Tour, Sweet Pill has made a name for themselves among the emo and math-rock scenes. Alongside the release is the announcement of their biggest headlining tour yet, spanning 25 cities in two months. With high expectations from fans for another exceptional release, “No Control” has solidified Sweet Pill as no one-trick pony.
“No Control” is the classic Sweet Pill sound while expanding the landscape and adding some impressive guttural belts from vocalist and frontwoman Zayna Youssef and guitarist Sean McCall. With their addictive snare, classic mid-song breakdown, and a sea of chorus-filled guitars, you can’t help but get swept away in Sweet Pill’s dynamic sea of emotion. The song dives into themes of addiction and habits we can't seem to break free from.
Holding onto something gold, But I always want more, Feel it bending in your hands
I'm malleable, No control
In the search for validation, our narrator feels consistent dissatisfaction and seeks turbulent vices to cope. In Sweet Pill’s case, it’s enough cigarettes in a single music video to pay for a down payment on a house. While seeking reassurance, they don’t care what it takes to make them feel relief, even if that means breaking their own boundaries and bending out of shape.
Break my bones, To fit in the mold
Who cares if it hurts?
On Zane Lowe's Apple Music radio show, Zayna describes the whirlwind of emotions she was feeling when preparing the second album. As her life began to turn approaching thirty, she was in a different place from where she started. “At that time, I was feeling a bit… indulgent. Taking what I want, whenever I wanted it, and disregarding the world all at the same time. I felt like my self-worth was cheap, and that I had no boundaries as a healthy person. I quite literally had no self-control.”
"No Control" is a painfully honest reflection after her first years of fame. These themes are set to reflect in the second album, as Zayna explains, “Half the album was written before and the other half after… You put out a fire, there’s still an ember that’s still glowing—that’s the record.” Sweet Pill straps us into the beginnings of an emotional rollercoaster: full hedonism, self-sabotage, and rehabilitation.
The tracklist featuring songs like “Sunblind,” “Glow,” “Slow Burn,” and “Smoke Screen” hints at a journey akin to a Phoenix-like rebirth. It is also ever-present in the album art, another beautifully painted cover that features an open mouth swallowing a house engulfed in flames. As “No Control” takes the strong third spot on the thirteen-track album, I have “High Hopes” for what is to come next from Sweet Pill.
“Still There’s a Glow” releases March 13, 2026.
