Across 11 tracks that run the gamut from ocean-deep shoegaze riffs to cloud-light sprinkles of ethereal indie, Birding is the sound of a band who have definitively found their groove. Birds are alluring, fascinating creatures. Unencumbered by earthly concepts, they soar through the skies, only briefly interacting with those of us watching them from below. It's like they inhabit a parallel world, almost, one where the turmoil of daily life on Earth is entirely escapable. When deary, the London-based dreampop three-piece of Ben Easton, Dottie Cockram and Harry Catchpole named their debut album Birding, it wasn't just as an homage to our feathered friends--they were referencing the sense of expansion, wonder, and abandon their music evokes. They chose the title to draw attention to the direct impact humans have on the world around us, whether that be nature, or ourselves. With Birding, deary have purposely evolved their sound, opting for starker lyrics and heavier instrumentation than on their previous releases. A perfect example of this is Smile, the album's opener: amid buzzsaw guitars and airy windchimes, Dottie sings of the announcement of a national epidemic of violence against women. It's a haunting track, and the first time the band have tackled such an intense subject matter. Seabird, the album's lead single, takes Smile's heaviness and transmutes it into something heartening. Propelled by Harry's Portishead-esque backbeats, the track sonically resembles a wide open sky, with layer upon layer of guitar chords echoing to the heavens. Other focus tracks include the seven-and-a-half-minute long dreampop epic Alfie and Alma, probably the album's most pop-forward moment.
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