Music is magic, there is a certain type of restlessness and meditation that they have perfectly caught on The House Flies on Sweet Foxhound. It is not only the first single they have released since their popular Mannequin Deposit, but the shadows are darker and the lines even sharper.
The song creates a somber mood at the very beginning, with the background guitar lines and the pounding bass that exude an urgency that is almost palpable. It is a thick and dense production, which leaves room to haunting vocals floating above the mix with a hypnotic, near unsettling essence. It is the type of song that makes you lean in closer and pay attention to the listeners as the attentive listeners will be compensated with subdued textures and deliberately built dynamics.
The secret of the success of Sweet Foxhound is its patient structure. The initial half is slow and tension-filled, with its mixture of light and deep textures to produce a chilly and hazy mood. Then it dances into a chorus set upon a catchy guitar melody that tempts you to move with it even though–or even because of the darkness that envelops it. The equilibrium of the warmth and impact is wonderfully implemented.
It is also the inaugural recording with second guitarist Burnie Eckardt, whose inclusion adds to the sonic palette of the band in a very tangible way. Having been originally composed and performed live in the Mannequin Deposit sessions, the song seems to represent a bridge and a statement both to their gothic post-punk origins and to the heavier path they are on.
The House Flies have created something immersive and edgy with a background of indie-rock, shoegaze, and dream pop. Sweet Foxhound is Midwest gothic at its best: melancholic, lyrical, and inexplicable. On its own as a self-contained release, it is an optimistic indication of a band that is still developing, with a very clear idea of how its darker side ought to sound in their forthcoming album.
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