Sheetal Singh – former bassist for San Francisco noise pop wonder The Stratford 4 – is going in a different direction with her music, revving up to release a self-titled mini-album under her moniker Forest Bees. Originally driven by her desire to incorporate her familial history into her work, Forest Bees morphed into this beautiful – punk pitchy in its presentation, but almost earthy in tone – piece that gives the listener the impression that the musician is simultaneously experiencing an awakening of sorts.
And perhaps she did. She transformed while creating this art, and you can hear it in the soundscape. “Independence Day” is a bit of a dance track, while “Hollow Bones” fills a deeper, more primal, place in your body with differing instrumentals. While “Golden Dream” is void of the vocal warmth we would otherwise deduce from the title, we’re mesmerized by how she can still evoke a beautiful instrumental section amidst the rough, almost static, sounds that overlay the entire track. “Off Color” comes in from left field, with a hard-hitting percussion section that comes off as wonderfully experimental in tone, though the song feels more mainstream-headed than its predecessors, and we do not mean that as a negative connotation. Singh expertly rounds out the album with “Dust”, perhaps the most alluring of the five tracks. Composed of several differing tempos, this song could be equally enjoyed on a long drive, sitting with friends during wine night, and dancing in a basement club in The Village at 2am.
Forest Bees’ record release show will take place The Hemlock, San Francisco on January 25th with N. Lannon and Alexsarah. Tickets are available here. Forest Bees is available for preorder now.
The very end of 2017 brought us some stunner releases, and not enough time to get through it all. San Francisco’s rock outfit The Go Ahead – comprised of – Kyna Wise (vocals), Alex Mamelok (bass), Josh Hertz (guitar), and Chris Kelly (drums) – charmed us in December with the release of their latest, an EP titled In Harms Way. A six track EP birthed from struggle and existential questions, this work implores you to look deeper at your own life.
The Go Ahead wastes no time getting you right into the thick of it, beginning slowly with first track “Bones” and then luring the listener in with rough guitar and hard-hitting percussion. Wise’s vocals are like a siren, pulling you in despite your want to know – and to hear – more, at least for the first couple of minutes. Then, you might find yourself melting into her voice for the remainder of the work. (Warning: You will.) While “On My Side” slows things down, it bursts into this beautiful, mellifluous track, a pattern not dissimilar to next track “Bloodshot”. (If you don’t like the idea of blood coming out of your eyes, maybe skip this song.) “Coastline” has more of a pop feel to it, lyrics tinged with melancholy and a thirst for salt water. “About to Burst” feels just like the title might suggest, while final track “Fuel” almost drains you of your energy just by adequately enjoying the tempo and energy adjustments throughout the song.
It’s rare to find all of your own energy invested in a release from start to finish, but The Go Ahead has managed that feat with In Harms Way.
Rounding out 2017 as best they can, NY-based Israeli transplant quintet Seasonal Beast released a particularly entrancing eleven-track album titled Muscle Memory in October. From first track “I Can Make You Disappear”, you feel like your whole being is melting into another world, steered bravely by a largely electronic – and intrinsically beautiful – soundscape. Second track “Making Shapes” is instrumental, and almost emotes an extra-terrestrial feeling, as though you’re being abducted by some of the most fabulous aliens in existence. “Dry Bones” takes a turn for the delicate, but it isn’t misplaced in any way.
“This Is Where” is comprised of vocals that really feel like a chant, mellowing out the album to this monotonous but curiously otherworldly tempo. While “Take Me Back” pumps a little more into the tempo and hosts more robust vocals, “Another Day” brings with it more reverb, and a slightly unamused, punk, almost theatrical feel. It’s a darker side to the band, but it’s just as ethereal as its predecessors. “Heading to a Wall” seems to mellow it all out again, driven by the acoustic guitar. “Ungovernable” might have the most alluring title, and the vibe of the track is very “take charge,” full of strength in every note. This one is a standout favorite, hands down.
“Don’t Disappear” is another instrumental beauty, while “Playing in the Dark” has more of a nostalgic feel to it, if not only because the instrumentals between choruses remind us of the carnivals of our youth. (That’s a thing, right? Other people also attended carnivals and fairs?) Of course, it ambles right into the last track, aptly titled “No One Can Open the Door (Only I from the Inside)”, which is a soft and beautiful – almost lounge-like – in its disposition. It brings the tempo down, and rounds the release out perfectly, repetitive in lyrics but allowing the instrumentals to build and take center stage.
Muscle Memory is available now. Keep up with Seasonal Beast here.
