Like Ghostory, Put Your Sad Down is frustrating because of its detachment. Deheza’s voice can be bone-chilling, but she never sounds like a human being—singing behind impenetrable smoke-screens of reverb, framing every zonked-out melody with the same robotic poses; meanwhile, Curtis’ production is tiring: always cranked to 11, downplaying dynamics and texture in favor of full-throttle programming and blindingly bright synth blasts. The sterile “Put Your Sad Down” lasts for 13 minutes, with plodding synth-pop giving way to droning ambience before circling back again; “Faded Heart” is all aimless, rave-y gloss; it’s rare to find a vocal line that feels auto-tuned, even when it actually isn’t.
When School of Seven Bells actually pause to check their pulse, they suddenly sound like a band again: “Secret Days” is a stellar reminder of what they’re capable of at their best, unfurling worldly rhythms, an incessant bass pulse and Deheza’s ghostly vocal harmonies into an uncrowded blend of textures, offering a much-needed respite from the torrential downpour of reverb and sheer volume. Put Your Sad Down is full of great ideas—it’s the execution that’s often shaky.
