Zaba How To Be A Human Being Interpretation

Following the release of their wildly popular but equally peculiar freshman album Zaba, the UK foursome Glass Animals took two-years to tour. Over this time their experiences and creativity resulted in the creation of their sophomore album How To Be A Human Being. True to form their second album is filled with soft vocals paired with a wide range of electric beats and background noises. Front man of the group Dave Bayley is quick to stress the importance of individual interpretation of each song. “I don't feel like that should ever be the case – each person's interpretation is 100% important. It's much more interesting for everyone that way.” (Bayley). The group took an interesting approach when constructing their second album. Each of the
The appeal of Glass Animals has a whole lot to do with the simple fact that their sound is like nothing that has ever been produced before. The use of intricate samples and intense attention to detail results in a sound that is like nothing else in the alternative genre or in music as a whole. “Mama’s Gun” most closely mirrors the sounds of Zaba. Calmly and smoothly the song accelerates and decelerates from one chorus to the next. The most up beat songs on the album - “Pork Soda”, “Take A Slice”, and “The Otherside of Paradise” - find their roots in hip-hop like beats, opting for more uneven beats that offer a higher tempo. Vocal dynamics on the record follow a similar pattern and are appropriately paired to the tempo of the song. The diverse collection of brand new intriguing sounds contrasted with familiar contemporary hip-hop beats prove that the band has plenty to keep the audience guessing. How To Be A Human achieves a tone unique to itself using predictable features rooted in unpredictable arrangements. Each song varies from the last. Synthesized vocals and the surgical insertion of samples are reminiscent of the technological expertise of a dance DJ; while organic flute melodies in “Mama’s Gun” and a Red Hot Chili Peppers-esque intro to “Poplar St.” pay homage to other influential musical compositions. The production behind How To Be A Human Being acts as the backbone for the album. It adds a meaning and emotional response that extends beyond what the lyrics are able to achieve. In a similar but drastically contrasting style to Zaba, How To Be A Human Being takes the listener on a biographical journey through the human