Friday, April 9, 2010

Case File #28: "Half Asleep"


School of Seven Bells
"Half Asleep"
Alpinisms
(2008)





The need to know: Formed by Ben Curtis (formerly of Secret Machines) and twin-sisters Claudia and Alejandra Deheza, School of Seven Bells create near-perfect electronic dream pop that waves from danceable, worldly explorations to hazy moments of ethereal beauty. Following their debut, 2007 UK single "My Cabal," and their 2008 full-length Alpinisms, the band shared stages with Blonde Redhead, Bat for Lashes, and fellow electronic shoegazers, M83.

Why it's worthy: Sonically a perfect song for a visual montage of the indie film version of youthful love and life, the dreamy beauty of "Half Asleep" is almost enough to make you abandon your computer and desk in favor of springtime sunshine and the swaying trees taunting you through the window. Lyrically, it's an admission of and struggle against complacency and falling victim to the mundanity of our everyday lives. Beautiful, hopeful and tragic, Alejandra Deheza's voice fills each word with longing but never over embellishes the sentiment, which allows the accompanying music to speak volumes.

Quotable lyric: "Sometimes I go whole days listening, bored, half sleep/ I won't say anything that's worth a thing to me"

Where you've heard it: "Half Asleep" was included on the downloadable Urban Outfitters mixtape LSTN#2 back in 2008. An alternate version also appeared on the 2009 Alpinisms re-release as one of nine bonus tracks.

Get obsessed:

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