Sea Of Bees – “Test Yourself” (Stereogum Premiere)
“Test Yourself” is one of those songs that grab you in the first second — Sea Of Bees’ Julie Ann Baenziger kicks things off with no need for build-up, diving straight into the pastel-colored waters of her breezy, fully-realized world. Every “la la la” and jingle-jangle in the background feels deliberate and well-executed, and as she goes along, you can almost feel the tide swelling under your feet. The lyrics betray a darker side to Baenziger’s giddiness, but it’s one that feels far removed from her current headspace, like a scar that you glance at occasionally but has fully healed over. Unlike “Dad,” the first single from her upcoming album Build A Boat To The Sun, she doesn’t keep her voice restrained here: instead, she lets it fly out with wild abandon, letting it occupy each glimmering corner of the song. Listen below.
Build A Boat To The Sun is out 6/29 via 3 Loop Music.