One of my triggers in alt-rock is a sense of texture, and the first time I heard Death Drive, the latest single from Eliza Edens, I was blown away by the detail.
Texture adds a vibrancy to a musical recording, particularly when it comes to real physical instruments. The bright details here make Eliza and her band’s performance feel real, intimate and grounded. The bass and guitars float right in front of you, and you can almost feel the air moving in front of your face as you listen. The drums thump with a grounded pulsing energy. The whole thing feels expensive, and created with care. It all underpins a vocal performance from Edens, at terms intimate and vulnerable, then soaring on a wave of overdubbed harmonies.
That vocal is focused on Edens’ preoccupation with near-death experiences, and living dangerously. As she sassily sings here, “Maybe I was flirtin’ with the limit but baby that’s how you win it.”
Shortly after the two-minute moment there is a slight, yet noticeable, drop in pace. It is as though the band simultaneously got caught in something that caught them off guard. They almost miss a beat and fall into a stagger. The moment seemingly reflect Eliza, confronted with a thought, as she contemplates her own mortality and the afterlife. She quickly shrugs it off, and like a moth to a flame, goes straight back to thinking about all the ways in which she could be embracing reckless abandon. Overall, she creates a thrilling feeling - vivid, real, and alive.
Check out Death Drive below.
In addition to listening in the post, you can find almost all the music BlackPlastic covers on the music player of your choice. Add the dedicated playlist below: