This is the album titled The Chilling Alpine Adventure by the soon to be band formerly known as Falling Up. Or, is it the self-titled, debut record by cinematic indie rock outfit The Chilling Alpine Adventure? Well, yes and yes.

Chances are, if you’re reading this you are aware of the journey of the band Falling Up, and their evolution from high energy nu-metal meets pop rock group to a sci-fi cinematic extravaganza. After the band released what was ostensibly their swan song in 2015, many people, myself included, were pretty sad about that. Fortunately for us though, artistry never really dies, and frontman Jessy Ribordy saw it fit to introduce the next phase of his music career with an album effectively serving as a transition between projects.

I would describe The Chilling Alpine Adventure as a sweeping record that sonically is similar to both the Falling Up record Your Sparkling Death Cometh and the short-lived side project The River Empires, which took inspiration from some of the cinematic indie folk sounds emerging at the time.

The emotion of the album is sweeping in ways that aren’t at all surprising to me, but feel like an old friend coming back to catch up with me over a beer. But instead of a beer its a hot toddy and we’re now flying over the mountains in a private jet.

The album has a way of sneaking up on you. The opening track “The Waterfall House” has a rather unassuming blend of melancholy and drive, “Five Angle” has a matter of fact approach and suddenly you’re bobbing your head fervently to “That’s Reanimation!” As I try to decipher the lyrics to this song, my mind goes back to a concert I attended at Westerville Christian Church, circa 2009. As Falling Up played “The Islander” as part of their direct support slot for The Afters (what an odd pairing, in retrospect), I recall Jessy looking out into the crowd and commanding us to “Listen!” before singing the lines “You think I’m deaf to hear / My cameras everywhere…” – a clear spiritual metaphor. My instinct to question what he’s really getting at which all these metaphors brings forth this memory, 2009 Jessy chastising me to pay deeper attention.

In a rather poignant moment writing this review, I heard Jessy’s vocals ring out particularly clearly as I was finishing writing my previous talking point about paying attention. The song is “Recruitment” and to tell you the truth, I do feel like I’m being recruited for the next phase of the band’s story, which is The Chilling Alpine Adventure. Another poignant moment occurs in “Double Afterlife,” a lone piano key rings out after the first chorus, mixed in such a way as to be ever so slightly dissonant and jarring, but not off-putting. The outro of “Tall Grass in the Lobby” is quite thrilling as well.

As I listen to “Autumn 38” and a burst of euphoria fills me, I wonder why I’m so predictable that it happens during the synth hook? Oh well, this ain’t no synthwave tune. This is Falling Up doing what they do best. One of the most haunting moments in the entire record plays out during the bridge of this song though, as Jessy murmurs “You don’t know me, you don’t own me, I’m not only for this.” I’m not entirely sure of the intended context of this song, but in my own mind I can’t help but draw parallels to one’s journey through and out of addiction; being watched by others, “praying” to the carpet (passing out?) and finally indignation combined with anger as you start to plan your next steps.

Though released at the end of 2024, The Chilling Alpine Adventure is going to be something I unpack throughout the majority of 2025 – of this I have little doubt. It feels like a record I’ve been waiting for. It makes the cinematic era of Falling Up make sense and ties things up nicely.

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