The water is here in you

Babehoven

The water is here in you

Double Double Whammy

01 May 2024
Web Exclusive

By Mark Moody

Coming off as festive and disappointing in equal measure is not the easiest feat. But the duo of Maya Bohn and Ryan Albert, who act as Babehoven, manage to handle it with an expert level. “Good to See You” arrives late The water is here in you and it starts like an almost vault, with a spiraling guitar line that pulls the listener down even further. The good one breaks out of those opening notes, “It's a good day, hello, now, nice to see you.” Not quite the sputtering “hey, hey, hey,” kiss of, say, the Stones' “Satisfaction,” but Bon's lyrics carry a heartfelt level of positivity despite their tradition and milieu.

If “Nice to see you” is the design of Babehoven's ethos, The water is here in you hides many wonderful moments that take off from these designs. The opener, “Birdseye,” captivates with Bon's simple offering of “ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, too,” as Albert creates a palette of deep blues and watery hues. Bon's pounding guitars and soaring vocals serve as a surface layer, while the drums, bass notes and strings sound like they're being broadcast from a mile below the storms of a stormy sea.

Dedicated to maintaining sonic brilliance throughout the album's 40 minutes, more ephemeral tracks like the stream of consciousness of “Millenia” or the beautifully light “Rocket,” serve as patches for the album's larger moments. The booming and warped “Chariot” is one of the best songs of the year, bar none. For all its apparent effort to sparkle as hard as Beach House's more distinct songs, the duo subverts their album's centerpiece into something heavy rather than light. Although an oddly specific reference, his 1998 album Varnaline Sweet life it had the same marriage with a mood that 'Chariot' pulls off perfectly. Bon describes the sunken carriage of the title as “A chariot, a cherry, sweet and round and heavy.” Evocative as they come.

The perfectly titled and arranged 'Dizzy Spin' is another highlight, while the bright rhythm of 'Lightness is Loud' also captivates. The last song is hammered with specific descriptors of “coral, coral, snake, snake”. While the folky closer, “Ella's From Somewhere Else,” celebrates both its namesake Squirrel Flower (Ella Williams) and his childhood dog Bon. And while there may be fluidity to her themes, Bon's lyrics are pointed and unreserved. “Ella takes me to the flatness of loss,” she says little, but it conveys volumes.

Ella and its other inhabitants The water is here in you it may be from somewhere else, but Babehoven is going to take you there. Steady, safe, but with a heavy dose of hope and light to guide the journey. Babehoven's commitment to a tight band in which he weaves his spell provides some room for exploration. But Bon's expert use of unmistakable words and phrases keeps the listener engaged and focused on the work's unmistakable tone. (www.babehoven.com)

Author Rating: 8/10