The story of School of Seven Bells is utterly tragic – but out of tragedy comes enormous hope when you see just how Alejandra Deheza has dealt with the loss to lymphoma of her musical and lifetime partner, Benjamin Curtis. Curtis was a huge talent, whose guitar and production skills and songwriting were propelling the duo to the skies – but in ‘SVIIB’ Deheza gives him the best possible send-off. He is on the album, but as Deheza says, it’s not a sad record – and was a happy time in their relationship. That’s not to say it is without emotional moments, and in ‘Confusion’ the beats depart and the raw sadness can be clearly felt, Deheza singing ‘we spent so many days together that I forgot how to be different from us’. Elsewhere though there is supreme and lasting strength, the duo building on the interface of electronics, shoegaze and electronic pop that had become such a strong aspect of their sound. ‘Signals’ has the lovely lyrics ‘open your eyes love, you got me crying, while ‘Music Takes Me’ makes plans for the future with its statement that ‘these days I’m feeling the sun come through’. Listening to this album you will find yourself taking on some of Deheza’s inner strength, for it is truly inspirational – and what’s more it has the musical quality and wonder to go with it.
5 out of 5
Reviewed by Ben Hogwood
