Record Label: Vagrant Records

Download Album:

Our Rating:

Fitting snugly alongside the likes of Florence & The Machine, Victoria & Jacob and La Roux; School of Seven Bells’ second album includes some smartly crafted 80′s electro-pop.  Opening with the lead single ‘Windstorm’ (which is reminiscent of Coco Rosie’s ‘Rainbow Warriors’) the tone is set for a sometimes fruitful blend of pop sophistication. This is taken a step further with the superior ‘Dust Devil’, which intertwines thrusting, layered vocals with 1980s drama / danger pop grandeur. ‘ILU‘ follows, with all the hallmarks of a classic pop single. Both sweet and melancholy, this is very respectable stuff and is among the real highlights of ‘Disconnect From Desire’. School Of Seven Bells seem to have tapped into a section of the late 80′s / early 90′s, with ‘Heart is Strange’, the excellent ‘Dial’ and the rather unfortunately titled ‘Babelonia’ . The flat, haunting harmonies of the twins also work especially well on the minimalist, David Bowie Scary Monsters-phase ‘Camarilla’. When peaking, classic acts like St. Etienne or The Cocteau Twins come to mind. But less inventive than, say, the Fever Ray debut of last year, it’s the over-reliance on Stock, Aitken & Waterman style drum machine and 80′s lacquer that is keeping School Of Seven Bells downstream.

School of Seven Bells are set to release their new single ‘Windstorm’ on the 19th July. This is the first single taken from forthcoming second album ‘Disconnect From Desire’, available on the 12th July via Full Time Hobby. The B-side is a blinding remix of ‘Windstorm’ by noisy New Yorkers A Place Bury To Strangers. The drum heavy version transforms the track into a fuzzy mass of guitar, battling against a propulsive bassline.

School Of Seven Bells will be in the UK for a tour next month, calling at The Scala on 20th July as well as a very special and limited capacity show for Pure Groove at The Drop in Stoke Newington on the 8th July.

Blissed-out album opener ‘Windstorm’ has an instantly addictive melody backed by the Bells signature atmospheric layering of ghostly electronics and Alejandra and Claudia Deheza’s bewitching harmonies. Beginning with a screeching electronic chant, it marks out fresh terrain and one of the main messages of ‘Disconnect From Desire’, the feeling of waking up and shaking off routine, blowing out the cobwebs and dealing with change; “when the fire’s burning from sky to ground / swing my weight around / begin the windstorm”.

‘Disconnect from Desire’ follows on from their majestic debut ‘Alpinisms’, which was released to huge acclaim last year, with Mojo naming them one of their top nine new bands for 2009 (as well as a Mojo Honours nomination for ‘Breakthrough Act’). ‘Alpinisms’ also hit many albums of the year lists, including the NME who called it “pop music of the future”. The band have toured extensively since, supporting the likes of Bat For Lashes and White Lies as well as appearances at ATP including the My Bloody Valentine curated event last December.

UK Dates:

Wed 7th July Brighton Resident Records in-store

Thu 8th July London Pure Groove at The Drop, Stoke Newington

Sat 17th July Latitude Festival £65-£165 www.latitudefestival.co.uk
Sun 18th July Bristol Thekla £9.50 www.seetickets.com
Mon 19th July Manchester Ruby Lounge £9.50 www.seetickets.com
Tues 20th July London Scala £12.50 www.seetickets.com