Texis

Sleigh Bells

Up until this point, I never really got into Sleigh Bells. In 2012, the duo piqued my curiosity with a song called Comeback Kid which was a cutesy pop song with some pretty overwhelming sequenced beats and some metal guitars. It was an interesting mix of sounds at the time, but I guess not enough for me to want to check out the rest of their music. I pretty much forgot about them. Now here we are in 2021 and low and behold, Sleigh Bells have released their fifth album. I gave it a shot going in completely blind, not knowing at all what to expect having been oblivious to their activity for nearly ten years. Upon first listen, I knew I really liked it. I found myself drawing many parallels to the hyperpop acts that I've really been enjoying recently, like Charli XCX and 100 Gecs. This helped give me more perspective on their sound; almost making me wonder if Sleigh Bells was maybe ahead of their time in 2012 and I couldn't possibly have known. With repeated listens, I got hooked deeper and deeper into the record until I realized, I kinda love this thing.

The record starts off with SWEET75, an absolute rave banger. The moments where you just hear the distant drums, give me the feeling that I've just arrived at the venue and the party is just getting started. I also absolutely love the quick metal guitar bends that send the song into these crashing cymbals and driving distorted guitars. It's the little details like this that instantly grab me. I'm Not Down is a more tender moment as singer Alexis Krauss, from what I could decode, passionately appeals for more compassion towards those struggling with mental health. The lines "nobody cares when a line gets crossed, nobody cares when a life gets lost" holds a great deal of significance today as I think about people carelessly protesting vaccine mandates outside of hospitals. There are also numerous references to war, the angle being that we must band together in order to gain the support we need to fight the battles that are raging within us. The album's first single Locust Laced is another rager that has so much flavour. We have these chugging palm-muted guitar strums, these warped distorted synths that are very hyperpop, and a little bit of surf guitar leading into what I can only describe as some 'cheerleader punk.' The last song I'll give some heavy praise to is Tennessee Tips which may give you total whiplash. The verses have a great punk guitar riff, some bombastic beats, and Krauss' 'can't be bothered to really care' vocal delivery. The choruses, however, flip on a dime to this 80s, easy listening vibe that is supremely beautiful. It's such a stark contrast that it really shouldn't make sense, but regardless it's one of the album's best songs.

I can't mention every song but there really aren't any duds on this record. Knowing is slightly underwhelming when compared to the rest of the tracks here, although, it's not necessarily a track I would skip. And the latest single to drop from this record, Justine Go Genesis, has a little too much of a cheerleader gimmick going on; featuring vocal melodies that aren't quite as strong as the rest of the tracks on the record. This track does, however, have some moments where the kicks are relentless and I also really love the outro.

Texis is great. It is supremely catchy track after track and has that experimental, aggressive edge that I have grown to love over the last few years. Derek Miller's guitar work and production is fun, overwhelming, and beautiful. Krauss' vocals are very strong as well, much more impactful than they were back in 2012. I'm still working through catching up on records released this year, but so far, this might be my favourite of 2021.