slenderbodies - sotto voce

slenderbodies
sotto voce
2016
Spotify

If you close your eyes and squint a little bit can you hear it? The very first thing that comes to mind when you listen to the debut EP from slenderbodies is Glass Animals all the way. The vocals are similar, the rhythms/pacing are similar, and a lot of it is very very similar. The breathy vocals are what jumps out at you first, but surrounding them is this chill wave beat that just never lets up. This is music to sway to plain and simple. The majority of the record stays down tempo until you reach "polychromatic" and things kick into high gear. This song in particular has a low end that just pushes it ever forward. As a whole the record has that slightly slimey, creepy and sexy vibe. It is not as overt as it is with Glass Animals but it is still there much more than it is in a lot of music. You really want to put them in a box early one for latching on to a sound that seems to be popular right now, but they are able to bring in so many elements on this EP that it takes a shape of it's own. "homestead" is almost sweet in it's delivery sounding like it could possibly be someone's first dance at their wedding. It flows point to point almost like you are sailing right along with the track through some kind of psychedelic wonderland.

There is a lot less about this record that feels drug related than you might expect though. On the Glass Animals record you got a heavy does of drug vibe even in the lyrics, but the same can't be said for this record, it has a different toolbox of emotions to work with. The use of electronic elements also sets slenderbodies apart. Their music becomes much more well rounded with a bunch of elements coming together to make something incredibly smooth. With all this instrumentation going on you would expect it to feel somewhat disjointed, but that never happens, it always comes through on every piece it sets up. There is just a vibe that comes through on the whole album that is so special and so encompassing that it sticks with you for long after each track is over. If this is the beginning than we should be very excited about what is going to come from slenderbodies in the future. Take a listen and leave totally satisfied in every single way.

8.5 out of 10