RANKED: The top 10 Tesseract tracks you need to hear before their ArcTanGent headline set

TesseracT have always felt like more than a band. They’re musical architects, building worlds out of polyrhythms, atmosphere and pure emotion. From the layered, conceptual sprawl of Altered State to the crushing clarity of War of Being, every era has something to obsess over.

So here it is, our lovingly curated top ten TesseracT tracks. Ahead of their monumental headline set at ArcTanGent Festival this summer, these are the songs that defined the band, cracked open our heads, and stayed there ever since.

10) Cages

This version of ‘Cages’, reimagined for the Errai EP, is haunting in the best way. Softer and more ambient than the original, it’s all about space and restraint. Dan Tompkins’ vocals feel like a warm blanket, even when the lyrics ache. It’s proof that heaviness isn’t always about distortion.

9) Smile

There’s something a little unhinged about ‘Smile’. It shifts and stutters like it’s fighting itself, loaded with glitchy textures and one of Tompkins’ most visceral vocal performances. It’s unpredictable, a little bit feral, and completely hypnotic.

8) Of Matter

This track (and the whole Of Matter suite, really) feels like a slow dive into a dream you’re not sure you’ll come out of. ‘Retrospect’ is the point where everything clicks. Groovy, lush, and deeply emotive. It’s a masterclass in progression without pretension. The vocals are pure velvet.

7) Luminary

‘Luminary’ is deceptively straightforward for a Tesseract song, but that’s what makes it so sharp. Clocking in under four minutes, it punches hard with its tight riffing and soaring chorus. It’s the kind of track you play on repeat without realising you’ve done it four times in a row (guilty).

6) King

Dark, brooding, and cinematic, ‘King’ is one of TesseracT’s most emotionally raw moments. From its slow-burn intro to the absolutely massive breakdown, it feels like a song on the edge of implosion. That closing scream? Straight-up goosebumps every time.

5) Legion

‘Legion’ is controlled chaos. It builds gradually, pulsing with tension before opening into one of the most expansive choruses in the band’s catalogue. It’s got the atmosphere of Altered State and the crushing weight of Polaris, wrapped up in War of Being’s cinematic polish.

4) Concealing Fate, Pt. 1: Acceptance

This is the gateway song. The song that launched a thousand fan deep-dives. Whether you discovered it on YouTube, a forum, or from a mate who handed you their iPod in 2010, you remember where you were the first time you heard that riff. A cornerstone of the genre and for good reason.

3) Juno

Equal parts gorgeous and devastating, ‘Juno’ feels like the band cracking open its chest and letting us see everything inside. That chorus is a gut-punch, and the dynamics between soft vocals and crushing weight hit harder live than you’d expect. A modern classic in the making.

2) Phoenix

There’s something quietly powerful about ‘Phoenix’. It’s not showy, but it doesn’t need to be. The rhythm section is fluid, the melodies are warm, and Ashe O’Hara delivers one of the most subtly beautiful vocal performances in TesseracT history. It’s the calm at the centre of the storm.

1) Dystopia

‘Dystopia’ has everything: urgency, groove, soul, atmosphere, vibe. The transitions are seamless, the build-up is dramatic without being overblown, and it feels like it goes somewhere, not just technically, but emotionally. It’s TesseracT firing on all cylinders, and it never stops evolving across its runtime.

Tesseract don’t just write songs, they write experiences. Whether you’re drawn to the mathy precision, the ambient passages, or just want to feel something a little deeper, they always deliver.

Catch Tesseract at ArcTanGent Festival this summer!

Words: Katie Edwards