NEW ADDS: SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE, Tirzah, & more!
SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE - ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH
SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE is selling delirium, and I’m buying.
Maybe it has something to do with the current state of things - even as the general thaw of reopening gets underway, folks (myself included) are still more than willing to get a little woozy and away from the mundanity of quarantine. Fortunately for us would-be escapists, the group’s latest album, ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH, is a heady concoction of infectious beats, avant-garde noise and undeniably catchy pop hooks; all blended together in one dizzying potion.
If that sounds appealing to you: you can stop reading this review now and go listen to the album. You don’t need me for anything more than the recommendation. If that description gave you a minor headache, stick around and hear me out.
It’s certainly a lot of influences - no one idea gets much time to stand alone. The fusion is endless and amorphous. Just as a melody peaks, it slides away into chirps or creeping noise. Instead of feeling cheated though, the sheer volume of concepts explored means that the inevitable fascination induced by the next bit doesn’t allow a listener any time to miss what has already gone past. This isn’t a singular meditation, it’s an all-encompassing exploration. It’s a glassy-eyed, psychedelic sort of feeling; the three members of SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE might as well be some sort of strange research chemical.
In doing so, the group becomes something entirely unique. That’s saying something, especially in the context of the beautifully weird Philadelphia DIY scene that the band call home. Even amongst their Peers, SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE sound like a bunch of aliens. It’s a singular strangeness that’s caught the attention and fandom of people from Mitski to Frank Ocean.
They’re - at different times and all at once - seemingly pop, electronic, folk, prog and rock-influenced; but genre limitations fail to capture the scope of what’s going on here. Comparison is a fairly worthless activity: it’s SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE. You either love them, hate them, or haven’t listened to them yet. If you play this for Grandma, she’s equally likely to start dancing as slap you upside the head.
That’s not to imply that this album is an uncomfortable listen, though. It’s a similar feeling to the one you’ll get while listening to one of the great shoegaze opuses (Loveless, Souvlaki), albeit with the potential to expand into far stranger sonic territory. It’s all-encompassing and very dreamlike, equal parts cold and welcoming. You can slump into the sound and let it wash over you endlessly. Just like those shoegaze albums, ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH deserves at least one front-to-back listen.
There are some artists whose general vibe is so consistent that one can put on any track and expect a similar energy. The appeal is undeniable, and they’re an easy choice to shuffle into any pertinent playlist. SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE goes completely full-circle and brings it back around: they’re so eccentric and varied that their music actually becomes consistent once again. While I’ve certainly got favorite tracks from this album, I’d be confident clicking play at any point and expecting consistency (at least consistent inconsistency). With the group’s last album, 2018’s Hypnic Jerks, certain tracks stood out more in one area than others; that’s not the case here. There isn’t a catchy pop track followed by an avant-garde track followed by an electronic tune; there is only ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH and all that it entails.
They do offer a couple more sober breaks, such as the aptly-named “RAPID AND COMPLETE RECOVERY,” giving the ears a chance for a brief reset before being plunged back into the fray. Still, these tracks are marked by the weirdness of the rest of the project - it can never be completely escaped.
By the time the closing track, “DEATH” finishes, you may feel as though you’ve just wandered through a fog. You may feel as though you’ve explored the deepest depths of your own mind; you may want a quick cry. There are few listening experiences quite so subjective. One certainty, however: you will know you’ve experienced something wholly unique.
- Sam Feehan, DJ
RIYL: The Voidz and Guided By Voices doing too much acid together
Recommended Tracks: All, but particularly 2 and 8
FCC: 10
Tirzah - "Send Me"
Healing an invisible wound is a push and pull. If the healing process is uninterrupted and the injury is treated correctly, you will recover. But, more often than not, you injure yourself again, scratch at the damage, and open up the wound once more. Then, your healing only takes longer. The wound can only heal if you choose to pursue recovery.
In Tirzah’s latest single, “Send Me,” we get a sonic glimpse into that messy healing process. “Send Me” is a love song, but not in the way you’d expect. Within her narrative, Tirzah looks towards a significant other to fix her, needing their strength in order to recover (“Baby, don’t be long, need more to feel strong”). In this pursuit of restoration, she starts to become codependent, leading to a push-pull pattern.
Her first release since her 2018 album, Devotion, Tirzah created this song with her long-time collaborator and friend Mica Levi (aka Micachu) and fellow musician and songwriter Coby Sey. Tirzah has very striking yet subtle vocals, especially on this track. She clearly sings with genuineness, making sure every inflection, even those that are imperfect, is heard and felt. The slow steadiness of the guitar and drum loop adds a weighty texture to Tirzah’s performance, intentionally mirroring the emotional heaviness brought on by healing.
On the surface, it seems that Tirzah is praising this person for giving her strength to heal. Repeating the lines “Let me heal, and now I’m sure” over and over indicates that she instead needs time to recover and then she’ll be ready to love someone again.
Towards the end of the song, it seems that she’s almost pleading to be healed by the song’s addressee, singing, “Send me...Call me...Love me…” Yet, in the song’s outro, she repeats “better let it heal,” like she’s at a crossroads with herself and unsure how to overcome this pain. Appropriately, the song then dissolves into distorted guitar strums.
Healing should never be done alone, and Tirzah highlights that need for companionship in a dark time. Codependency is inevitable in any relationship. But it can become negative when you rely too much on someone. The song is not conclusive by its end, but that’s the point. It’s an ongoing struggle for anyone to not rely on someone else to provide healing.
- Olivia de Witt, Alumni Director and DJ
RIYL: Babyfather, Okay Kaya, Kelsey Lu, Smerz
FCC: Clean
Fifi Rong - “Only Man”
Fifi Rong, a multi-talented avant-pop songstress, is sharing the breathtaking video for her latest single, "Only Man."
Fifi Rong has received support from The Guardian, The Times, NME, FACT Mag, The Irish Times, Dancing Astronaut, Earmilk, Wonderland. CLASH Magazine, Complex, BlackBook Magazine, Crack Magazine and The Line of Best Fit to name a few. The singer has received well over 3.2 million plays across major streaming platforms.
SOUNDS LIKE: Bjork, Cocteau Twins’ Elizabeth Fraser, FKA Twigs, ANOHNI and Massive Attack.
Marella - “Beat of the Summer”
Daniel Marella is a student-athlete at UCSB (swimming) who makes indie rock music in his bedroom.
He records, plays, sings, and produces all by himself. On April 20th, he's coming out with a song called "Beat of the Summer."
TOMMY GUN - "Love Me and Leave Me"
Having toured the country fronting coastal crusaders The Kava Kings and alongside Nathan Cavaleri, Tommy Gun now leads a five-piece band to pure indie glory.
Steeped in the feelings of a manipulative relationship, this new song portrays the band a little bit darker and grungier then the first single.
Beck Black & Tony Valentino - "Another Dimension"
Beck Black has a FAB new single available on all digital platforms as of April 1, 2021 entitled "Another Dimension" with the legendary Tony Valentino of The Standells (Dirty Water)!
Beck Black is a multi genre and multi instrumentalist with a brand and a band formed in 2014 in Los Angeles, CA - the band has an upcoming album release entitled Hollywood Blvd due in July 2021. Her most recent release in 2020 featured Ringo Starr from The Beatles on drums for “Who's Gonna Save Rock N Roll"! She is also part of the electro duo JYNX, with two songs placed in the Netflix movie Dumplin. Besides making music, she has appeared on TV, films, and online shows including S.W.A.T, Ruth & Lori, Beverly Pills, and many others. She is currently working on a new Punk Rock release with Tony Valentino of The Standells and a country EP entitled Electric Cowgirl.