With a final single releasing alongside her first original LP ‘PREY//IV’, Alice Glass shows us how creepy atmospheres can be as groovy as ever with ‘EVERYBODY ELSE’.

The main progression, the musical theme that loops from start to finish, is a meek musical-box melody. Something that should be as beautiful and innocent as a musical box can sound truly terrifying used in such a setting. The beauty isn’t stripped from the instrument, however, which provides a gothic feel to the composition. During the second half of the verses the musical box drops an octave with swelling choirs giving a haunted feel to the song. The subtle drums, composed of thumping kicks, snaps, clicks, and claps does a wonderful job highlighting the rhythm of the song while giving breathing room for both Alice’s voice and the instrumentation that gives it context. The song’s dynamics move up and down especially in the choruses without ever sounding over-done, staying true to the minimalist approach to this song. Space is key to achieve such a feeling, especially when that space is meant to confine you in a claustrophobic nightmare. The horrors of this song are as vital as every instrument, every melody, every chord. Alice has owned this style for a while now, and ‘EVERYBODY ELSE’ is yet another example of her genius – mixing pop elements in creepy sounds and elements that crawl under your skin.

‘EVERYBODY ELSE’ is a wonderful song, feeling cold and sharp, yet groovy all at the same time. It’s got a drive unparalleled to many of its contemporaries, and Alice Glass does an impressive job keeping the spirits of horror movies and artists like Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson alive in a totally, jarringly different medium. The contrast of the softness and innocence of the tone of her voice, coupled with the terrifying instrumentation is a wonderful way for people to remember Alice Glass as the unique artist she’s become.

Author: Nicholas Gaudet

Music producer and writer from Dieppe, Canada.