both sonic and lyrical growth from [the band's] first EP", and concluded that it was ultimately "a pop record with substance at its core". Thomas Smith of NME magazine called My Mind Makes Noises "an impressive, deft debut" that he hypothesized would propel the band "from cult concern to the big leagues". Smith further argued that the record "encapsulates everything Pale Waves are: emotional, arresting and endearing". Clash magazine writer Robin Murray called the record a "stellar debut". "Battle-hardened by lengthy tours across the land and beyond", Murray wrote, "Pale Waves bring that energy into the studio on a crisp, effervescent debut LP". The reviewer concluded that My Mind Makes Noises "feels like a beginning – a picture not entirely in focus, but somehow you can't rest your eyes away". Ian Gormely of Exclaim! magazine wrote that Baron-Gracie "broadcasts her highest highs and lowest lows overtop of light and shimmering '80s rock and R&B with a modern pop gloss". Goermly argued that the band's aesthetic, as exemplified by Baron-Gracie, was key to their success, serving as a "hook" that reels listeners in. While noting that the record's "repetitive nature" and its highly produced sound may alienate potential listeners, Gormely nevertheless concluded that "if early aughts emo was your jam, there'll certainly be lots to love here". Q magazine gave My Mind Makes Noises a somewhat mixed review, noting that while it was "a promising start", there was still "room for improvement". Roisin O'Connor of The Independent likewise wrote that the album "show flashes of potential but an awful lot of mimicry"; she concluded that while "it's fine to be influenced by one particular band, [Pale Waves] need to find their own voice or risk being known as little more than The 1975's pale imitators". Alexis Petridis of The Guardian called it "an album with ambitions bigger than its abilities". Petridis negatively compared the band to other pop artists ("what Pale Waves really sound like is Taylor Swift in 80s retro mode"), with the caveat that they "don't yet have the facility to craft a knockout pop song to take on the Swedish songwriting factories". Accolades Commercial performance My Mind Makes Noises was released by Dirty Hit on 14 September 2018 on cassette tape, CD and vinyl record; the record was also released on streaming platforms and as a digital download. The record charted at number five on the midweek UK