After 5 years of no releases, Arctic Monkeys released their sixth full-length album, “Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino,” May 11. A divergence from their established rock sound, the highly anticipated album takes on a more relaxed tone exploring a different side, musically and lyrically, of the British rockers.

With the opening track “Star Treatment” Arctic Monkeys welcomes its listeners to the “Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino.” The slow tempo and smooth instrumentals transport the listener to a swanky hotel lobby, setting the tone for the album. To achieve this unique sound, the band used a variety of instruments from the organ to the harpsichord. While the album still has its fair share of guitar, those looking for the face-paced ruckus that is “I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor” or the deep, full bass of “Do I Wanna Know?” are in for a shock. “Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino” maintains a mellow but dynamic and, at times, dissonant, sound with the help of lead singer Alex Turner’s Bowie-reminiscent voice and compelling combination of instruments. The musical departure allows Arctic Monkeys a chance to grow. It proves the band is willing to experiment not just rely on the success of “AM” sticking to what they had done before.

The explorations do not end musically as the lyrics take on societal topics such as the effects of technology on interpersonal communication and the odd occurrences of society. The seemingly disjointed “Batphone” addresses the obsession with social media saying, “life became a spectator sport.” It continues, discussing the irony of consumerism and personal character saying, “I launch my fragrance called ‘Integrity’ / I sell the fact that I can’t be bought.” The band critiques gentrification in the track “Four Out Of Five” as Turner sings, “I put a taqueria on the moon / it got rave reviews / four stars out of five.” This critique of the intricacies of society allows listeners an opportunity to view their actions from an outside perspective and see their flaws.

Given the final product, it would make sense that Arctic Monkeys would take one more opportunity to do things differently. The band chose not to promote the album with a series of singles before the release. The only peek into the “Hotel” the fans got was a Twitter teaser video that ended with an “AM” era reminiscent guitar riff present on the track “Four Out Of Five.”

The album’s closer, “The Ultracheese,” is arguably the most conventional song of the piece. The piano-based ballad offers a clean way to close out the album. Turner sings, “still got pictures of friends on the wall,” contributing to the overall nostalgic feel of the album, but the critical nature of the lyrics continues as he questions if those were real friendships at all. This track takes the listener to the swanky hotel’s bar for the final song of the night.

Arctic Monkeys’ “Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino” defies expectations in every sense. This most recent effort pushes forward the band as a whole while also giving an opportunity to expand their fan base with the new sound. By building their own musical hotel and casino, it’s clear that even after a 5 year break Arctic Monkeys still know what they’re doing.