It is hard to pinpoint the genre of School of Seven Bells, but they form an intriguing and fresh blend of indie rock, pop, dreamscape, and electronica. There are also a few aspects of 1990s grunge, namely the grinding distortion and riffs from noisy bass that balance the pop-sounding, breathy vocals. School of Seven Bells’ track “Secret Days” is a perfect example of this sound.
The first thing I heard was the heavy bass line. It is steady and noticeable, making the listener bob his or her head along with the within the first few seconds. The second thing I heard was the electrical rhythm of the drums, and soon my knee was bouncing. These very processed and treated sounds are overlaid by seemingly random synth waves and electronic pulsing.
But the thing that captured my attention for the entire three minutes was the ethereal lead vocals. The light and airy female voice are not what one would expect with such trippy, grunge electronica layers of sound, but it fits perfectly. She sings like I imagine a ghost or an angel would, all breathy and pitch-perfect with choruses backing her up. And surprisingly, this overpowers the harsh sounds of the drums, synths, and bass.
Contrary to what their name (and their complex sound) would have you believe, School of Seven Bells is actually made up of two people. Alejandra Deheza belts out those unique vocals and some guitar strums or plucks. Beside her, Benjamin Curtis plays lead guitar and synthesizer, as well as adding his own voice to the mix. There is no drummer or bassist to be found, but the electronic beat and bass added by drum boxes and computers work very well with their sound. The name is homage to a fabled South American pickpocketing academy of the same name, The School of Seven Bells. Somehow, that seems very fitting for the duo.
Every time I hear “Secret Days,” I feel as if I am dreaming. You should really give it a listen.