The Thousands

Christmas has come early this year. I can hear the Sleigh Bells now. They come with whispers; this isn’t how things were done in the past. These are new treats.

Let me lay the crown on the ground, so to speak. Alexis Krauss and Derek Miller make music to tear apart comfort zones. Dense and dirty synthetic pop to blow the cobwebs right out of your head. You can’t rely on the words to soothe your wounds; just the great crunky beats to rip them open again.

Sleigh Bells may just be the future of hipster pop, but much of their aesthetic appeal is found in good old 20th century juxtaposition. The mellow croons of former manufactured girl group member Krauss augment the crude, exhausting slabs of ex-punk Miller’s synthesiser. Even within the album there exists an understanding of the bait and switch. The record’s two best cuts lie back to back – the ephemeral and touching ‘Rill Rill’ rides its Funkadelic sample all the way into the visceral ‘Crown on the Ground’ – demonstrating pop nous to match the buzz. This is melody forced down your throat.