Like a stroll through a candy shop, School of Seven Bells’ Disconnect From Desire is an omnibus of colorful reverberation. Like a mix of sweet bubblegum pop and the tangy jolt of sour candy, it’s a swirling atmosphere of delicate vocals juxtaposed with harsh synth and guitar. Add multiple celestial references and the album truly is a brief disconnect from reality.
“Babelonia” is an effective representation of the variety of elements the bands infuses into its music. With tambourine and thumping drums, airy harmonies and distorted guitar, the trio demonstrates its tendency to fraternize with the fine line of distortion.
Tracks like “I L U” use rippling guitar and a steady beat to entrance the listener, while singer Alejandra Deheza’s soothing, warm voice drifts softly by. The song engulfs the listener in delicious prisms of sound. But just as quickly as the music sinks into dreamland, it jumps in and out of sweeping distortion and ’80s beats, especially on “Dust Devil.”
Overall, the celestial harmonies posed by the Deheza twins are what truly define the album, even when the anamorphic instrumentation becomes too heavy. In an attempt to balance the whimsical with the distorted, School of Seven Bells achieves equilibrium effortlessly, filling the album with intense musical hues.
Whereas bands like My Bloody Valentine often focus more on noisier distortion and rough shoegaze, School of Seven Bells plays up its lofty tendencies, which is not hard considering the angelic voice of Deheza.
As it drips with sugar and softness, Disconnect From Desire represents a departure from the grounding of reality, ultimately rendering a welcomed escape into an indefinite chamber of ethereal sound.
