Rill Rill – Sleigh Bells

A dreamy guitar and percussion intro is punctuated with oohs and ahhs. Alexis Krauss cooing chiming vocal implores ‘Have a heart, have a heart, have a heart’ then goes straight into ‘Sixteen six six six like the penatagon’. From soft to sinister in the opening lines. This is where Sleigh Bells sit in the indie/noise/dream pop firmament. Like some sort of high school delinquents who ooze talent but aren’t interested in following rules.

The layers of keyboard, guitars, percussion and vocals continue on a collision course for the next four minutes which always results in near misses. This jangle and trill never comes off the path despite sounding like it might at any moment. Rill Rill is overwhelming and intoxicating in it’s sweetness and it’s woozy melodies.

Since 2010’s debut album Treats (which Rill Rill is on), Sleigh Bells have built a reputation for uber cool indie output and impressive live shows. Rill Rill sounds like the bands adolescence played out in song.

‘Keep thinking about every straight face yes, wonder what your boyfriend thinks about your braces, What about them? I’m all about them. Six straight A’s. Cut ’em in the bathroom’.

Had the French electro pop duo Air not sewn the deal up a decade previously, Rill Rill would be the ideal sound track to a frantic 4 minute remake of Soffia Coppola’s debut movie The Virgin Suicides.

‘So this is it then? You’re here to win friends, Click click saddle up see you on the moon then’

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