Other Lives return with the grandiose "2 Pyramids" [Premiere]

27 March 2015, 09:45 | Written by Rebecca Jayne Higgins

(Tracks)

(Other Lives)

Following the success of 2011's Tamer Animals, Other Lives went into a period of transition. Whether this was originally the intention ahead of their anticipated third release or not remains to be seen. New release "2 Pyramids" is a transcendental exercise in holding onto your past whilst also accepting the spontaneity that comes with the unknown.

Whilst "Reconfiguration", the first release from May's anticipated Rituals, seemed to be the bridge between Other Lives' Tamer Animals and whatever would come next, "2 Pyramids" is almost the band's version of stripped back. Despite the multifaceted instrumentation that has become second nature to Other Lives' sound, "2 Pyramids" straddles the line between chaos and calm with perfection, building and receding in all the right moments. There is a spirited, unapologetic energy that tinges the song with carefree abandon, suggesting that Other Lives know all too well that although your past can be a great influencer, this doesn't mean that you can't also sometimes detour along new, untrodden paths.

Speaking about the track, the band said: "Inspired by a Joseph Campbell book, '2 Pyramids' is a commentary on the human need for the belief in something beyond the self - '2 Pyramids' representing an archetypal symbol that protects from irrational entities. The conflict between primal and rational is a common theme throughout the record.”

Amidst layers of sweeping percussion, singer Jesse Tabish's vocals retain a pensive, haunting element; a perfect partner to the upbeat melancholy that underpins the track. "2 Pyramids" is a lush, polished experiment in morphing the wistfulness that Other Lives crafted so meticulously on 2011's Tamer Animals into something more grandiose without losing the charm that makes the trio so consistently endearing.