Posted: by The Editor
There is always a space of reconciliation. With “believe the hype,” the newest single by Balance and Composure, the group fight through endless loops of tricking oneself into thinking they are found. With guitars that wrap around the listener’s ears, a calm yet steady rhythm, and savory vocals, this is one visceral track.
Balance and Composure have always found amazing ways to combine their guitars. With this new single, the band utilize leads that swell over dizzying riffs and shed the constant flow of ending right back where we start. The chorus utilizes heavier chords over the transcending arpeggios, creating a heavenly embrace with a gritty low end. This is solidified by a rhythm section that has pounding drums, adding a bit of frantic energy to the repeating monotony of ending right back where we, as humans, continue to restart. The second verse has a burst of a rhythmic kick that adds to the residual headache of trying different avenues to approach life and still feeling lost. Maybe inner peace is the circle of life, or our constant ability to try and try again, or the only thing we know.
Alluded above is the theme of the song, and the instrumentals play perfectly into the idea of repetition, especially in mistakes. Whether it’s “lust for passion” or “believe the hype,” the lyrics dance around the idea of self-destruction: “I’ve got a fetish for suffering, and bleeding out for an audience.” Even if it’s relationship based, or the exhausting world of being a performer, it’s a relatable and beautiful concept of trying over and over to fix what we fall for. The vocal performance delicately adds to this with an almost dismissive performance, building up to the ending shouts. It’s a wonderful frustration, drowning in emotion and an ambient yet pulsating guitar section.
Balance and Composure have always found a mesmerizing way to combine an emotional droning with winding arpeggiated chords, bombastic rhythms and effective melodies. “believe the hype” is a perfect example of this. This is the third single released in 2024, and I think I say for a majority that the excitement is real.
with you in spirit is out on October 4th on Will Yip’s Memory Music.
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Sean Gonzalez
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