School of Seven Bells – “Disconnect from Desire”
Vagrant Records
-out July 13
4 / 5
When dream-pop trio School of Seven Bells mix fluid beats with ethereal vocals from twin sisters Alejandra and Claudia Deheza, the result is the easily accessible “Disconnect from Desire,” their second full-length attempt. The group has a natural way about establishing flow, utilizing synth effectively to the backdrop of guitar and percussion, and while easy to pick up, there’s no reason to assume that this album is simple. “Dust Devil” helps to highlight the careful layering of effects, not drowning the listener in an overabundance of sounds, but filling the sound with only what’s necessary to support the song. “I L U,” with a strong retro feel, would be destined for cheesiness in less able hands, but instead shows that SVIIB can sway gentle pop melodies without fumbling. It’s an impressive trick, and to use a horrible, bland word to describe it, it can be very pretty: pleasant, enjoyable, and not overgushing. It’s a fine balance that the group maintains, and will doubtlessly claim quite a few fans in the genre. Fun, able, and recommended.
Listen to “Windstorm”: www.myspace.com/453173424