BABE CITY RELEASES DREAMY DEBUT LP ‘I LOVE YOU FOREVER’
New York’s indie music scene has produced another gem, Babe City, who specializes in patchwork-noise-pop. However, Babe City aims to create a new genre entirely of their own invention. They came together with individual musical backgrounds, each containing a unique path. This strong sense of individuality culminates into each recording, granting Babe City a significant advantage over their peers. Their long-awaited debut LP, ‘I Love You Forever,’ is a testament to their hard work. Plenty of live gigs have allowed them to solidify their skills before hitting the studio together. Babe City’s emergence into the New York City scene will hopefully expand significantly after this release since they are full of potential.
“Two Tabs” is a strong starting point, offering context regarding Babe City’s dreamy world. The synth tracks in this song are magical and even transcendent. There’s some jazz, rock n’ roll, and something entirely different, all found within this song. Each part flows within each other like water, gracefully gliding waves along the shoreline, synthesizers sparkling like grains of sand. The lead vocal performance in this song is incredible work from start to finish. The introductory track to Babe City’s record gives the same magic feeling as early Marina And The Diamonds records with a more modern Beach Bunny energy. It’s like if Beach Bunny wrote ‘Family Jewels’ or if Sky Ferreira wrote “We Fell In Love In October.”
Its follow-up, “Envy Adams Goes Insane,” is my favorite song on the record. The upbeat melody is just catchy enough without being overbearing. There’s a distinct phenomenon for those in our 20s where Disney Channel influences everything we do—and I mean this positively. I’ve said it before, but Radio Disney had us listening to Avril Lavigne. This song traverses that territory, grazing over it gracefully without overstepping. Babe City achieves their goal without trying too hard; they are the perfect blend of “effortless” that makes songs like “Envy Adams Goes Insane” work.
I am a sucker for a good transition in an album. “Make It Clear” is introduced seamlessly, with floating lead vocals guiding the track. I don’t claim to have synesthesia, but this song feels like the pink colors of a sunrise. The guitar arrangement is unique; I can’t tell where acoustic guitars begin, and clear-toned electric guitars end…and I love that! In every song within this record, there is so much depth to these mixes. My only minor gripe is that I wish the drums were blended more with the layered vocals, which are stunning. There is an excellent drum performance throughout this track, but it has difficulty standing tall amongst the other symphonic layers of gooey goodness.
The middle of the record is full of goodies, like the interlude “Boxes.” Full-length LPs are so important; they teach so much about music listening and how music can translate emotions or experiences into sounds. The meat of ‘I Love You Forever’ is a keen example of this phenomenon. It ebbs and flows with a Beebadoobee or Soccer Mommy flair. Each subgenre of indie or rock finds its way in, but it isn’t forced. The band played what they felt at the time, which shows in every bar of music they recorded. It’s incredible to think this is their starting point; imagine a sophomore or junior record when they have more resources available after grinding along the DIY path.
Overall, ‘I Love You Forever’ is an incredible exploration of existence in simple yet profound ways. Babe City has an irreplicable charm about them, giving them leverage within a saturated niche. Their clear creative vision allows them to make things confidently, pursuing their goals as a unit and as individuals. That’s a great treat initially; granting everyone equal value revokes the potential for one person to do all the work in the group project. ‘I Love You Forever’ gets an A+ from this journalist, who is constantly impressed by what people are doing on either coast. I may have listened to ‘I Love You Forever’ on a chilly Northern California evening, but it immediately transported me to a stunning fall-into-winter in Brooklyn. Babe City will give women everywhere a severe case of central character syndrome…good!