Tensions
September 19, 2025
Produced by Marios Adamopoulos
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About This Album
With Tensions, XOAN expand their sound into a wide emotional and sonic spectrum — from slacker rock with autotune to fast punk tempos, from bright melodic choruses to heavy atmospheric outbursts. Each track exists in its own universe. Written largely during the pandemic, the album explores internal conflicts, anxiety, fading friendships, and the pressure of everyday life.
Tracklist
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01 Play Along 1:20 LYRICS
I'm fooling myself for the last time Nothing works out in the end I race in a field full of landmines All is gruesome in my head What I have is never what I want But I always try to play along What I have is never what I want But I always try to play along
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02 High Underwater 4:09 LYRICS
Someone else's happiness Is right up in my face again Good for them but I can't help But think why can't I ever win Ooh Could we lose the tension? Ooh Could the tension let me breathe? Time escapes On bars and pavements Like a river buried underneath the town An evil eye, a reason why things fall apart Consider paranormal ways To cope with this Could be right or could be fatal Just go on with it Could be carried with some help now Just go on with it High underwater I can't see the bottom Could be right or could be fateful Just go on with it I've been through this time and time again That stillness seemed like a balance then Stay awake, drink that up Say you'll quit but never stop Face down in the bathroom Go on and get on with it Get fed up, call a shrink Never mind got things this week Drive into the water Go on and get on with it Could be right or could be fatal Just go on with it Could be carried with some help now Just go on with it High underwater I can't even bother Could be right or could be fateful Just go on with it
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03 Cobwebs 4:35 LYRICS
One more day out Breathe in, bleed out Take time, stay sane Or at least pretend Waste up your time In pointless fights One more day in Bleed out, breathe in And say the words I'm caught in a web that holds me still (and I think I know) As soon as it breaks I'll be set free (how it takes a hold) Untangle the thread and I'll begin (keep it low, keep it low) Or let me pretend There's some kind of web to blame Bracing up yourself for whatever happens Channeling the good, someone said it's true Monday comes again with a sinking feeling Wonder if you'll spend all your life in this And say the words I'm caught in a web that holds me still (and I think I know) As soon as it breaks I'll be set free (how it takes a hold) Untangle the thread and I'll begin (keep it low, keep it low) Or let me pretend There's some kind of web to blame
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04 Down in the Gutter 3:59 LYRICS
The road speaks in voices When words end I can hear In all things the pointless is lurking And I can see We're caught in a battle against ourselves And down in the gutter the lesser wins They always come when the night swings Leaving marks from their bites on my skin And I don't know if I hate the intrusion Or if their company's just what I need I made my bed but I can't sleep Can I sleep? We're caught in a battle against ourselves And down in the gutter the lesser wins We're born under bad stars, we see our fate We call it our bad luck, it's choice instead We're caught in a battle against ourselves And down in the gutter the lesser wins We're born under bad stars, we see our fate We call it our bad luck, it's choice instead To make our bed And toss and turn
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05 Numbers 4:15 LYRICS
Sleep but my eyes are wide open Dream but my mind is awake Slumber, slumber holds me Things that define where I'll wander Pieces define who I'll be Numbers, numbers own me We'll follow endless screens to the end The end I'm glad somebody cares about my interests Who gets what makes me click and always listens So glad I see the better lives of all the people Comparing mine to any life gets all that simple We'll follow endless screens to the end The end We try to fill the void we create Create Who gets to gather all my shame? Can I see what makes up what I am? Cause nothing of this nightmare makes me feel safe
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06 False Alarms 3:02 LYRICS
I can't figure out With what would I be wrestling I've got some friends, got my phone Got a lover on my bed sheets A voice in my mind Generating dismay It takes the bad, swells it up Makes the good feel like a dead weight But I can change, I can change I can change, I can never listen I can't settle down Something makes my bones shake I got a stick, got a stone Got a guilt trip till the day breaks But I can change, I can change I can change, I can never listen I'll just fake it I got a thing for a false alarm (caught but escaping) Till I make it (caught but escaping) I'll just fake it I lay down my arms, pretending I accept it Got my ways, got my chains and I found a way to shake them But I'll never change, never change Never change, never ever listen I'll just fake it I got a thing for false alarms (caught but escaping) I might make it (caught but escaping) If I fake it (caught but escaping) I'll just fake it (caught but escaping)
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07 Wire 3:19 LYRICS
Grew up and learned to walk on the wire Fed up, I set the building on fire You think there's something wrong with me To live my life with make-believes Why won't you stay In your fucking lane You know I wanna make it first to the red light Sometimes I'm steering off the cliff but that ain't right Distracted by the constant noise, it keeps ringing I keep fighting and if the light is dim I still see it I found my truth inside this black hole And maybe you could find yours if you let go of control So why won't you stay In your fucking lane I'm free to make My own mistakes Ooh-ooh-oooh-ooh-ooh-ooh Ooh-ooh-oooh-ooh-ooh-ooh So why won't you stay In your fucking lane It's all a game Just let me play
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08 Sand of the World 4:34 LYRICS
Sand of the world Sand of the world Can you let me go? Can you let me go? Sand of the world Sand of the world What is there to hold? When our sorrows fold? Pull the weight down from the ceiling It will fall back on you Rectify and give it meaning Cause you're lives overdue Did you come down? Did you come down? Did you come down? Sand of the world Sand of the world Guide me through the storm And I'll run true to form Pull the weight down from the ceiling It will fall back on you I devised a brand-new meaning And my visions came true Did you come down? Did you come down? Did you come down? Fire come for me Fire come for me Fire come for me Fire come for me
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09 Friends 5:36 LYRICS
My friends called it a day I guess I could relate Some things just tend to outweigh some things, I'll see the way But my friends called it a day My friends called it a day I wish I could pretend That I got something to say to make it easy again But my friends called it a day Pick me up I can't stay here alone People always say People drift away Time's got a wicked way To mess with innocence, mess with innocence All things will wear away We do the best we can To make the living we get To keep an ego in check But my friends called it a day Call me up if the cops block the road People always say People drift away Time's got a wicked way To mess with ignorance, mess with ignorance To be cool, to be friends, to grow old, to pretend To be cool, to be friends, to grow old, to pretend To call up, to go hang, to forgive, to forget To be cool, to be friends, to fall out, to repair To make plans, to forget, to believe, to be there People always say (to be cool, to be friends, to grow old, to pretend) People drift away (to call up, to go hang, to forgive, to forget) Time has got a wicked way (to be cool, to be friends, to fall out, to repair) To mess with innocence (to make plans, to forget) Mess with ignorance (to believe, to be there) Bless their ignorance (to make plans, to forget) Curse their innocence (to believe, to be there)
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10 Ksydi 6:52 LYRICS
Ta kséro ta aksimérota pou krívis Simádhia stis kserolithyés afínis Mia káftra ston amól'ofo ksaná yirízis Fengári mávro sto vithó fotiá anthízi Idróta, alkóol, taksídi sto kormí tis Glikó krasí, to ksídi mou mazí tis Aláti ke meltémi diókhni plíthi Palátia apó paniá méssa sti líthi To dérma dérma anazitá protóu yirísi Simádhia sto katástroma, sternó methísi Idróta, alkóol, taksídi sto kormí tis Glikó krasí, to ksídi mou mazí tis Tis pólis fos alázi ti morphí tis Glikó krasí, to ksídi mou mazí tis