SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS play the Hoxton on May 2. See listing. Rating: NNN
One of the chief attractions of School of Seven Bells was the one-two punch of the Deheza twin sisters’ vocals – often doubled, synched or harmonized in eerie and powerful ways. With the departure of founding member Claudia Deheza, sister Alejandra handles the singing on her own, and though she’s a highly capable vocalist (and guitarist), the mesmerizing twin effect is missing from the NYC dream-pop band’s third album.
The lyrics remain compelling, centring on a girl named Lafaye (also the name of one of the standout tracks) and the ghosts that surround her. The content suits Deheza’s ethereal delivery and Benjamin Curtis’s guitar and electronic sounds – sometimes ambient and gothic, sometimes danceable and poppy – on which the nine cohesive tracks are built. Sonically, it’s a leap forward.
Top track: Lafaye