Donate Your Heart to School of Seven Bells’ “Ablaze”

Reignite that hibernating passion.

Photo: Abbey Drucker

School of Seven Bells dropped a new single “Ablaze” from their upcoming record SVIIB, which will be out on February 26. This shoegaze/explosive dreampop duo has a love-loss story spinning around art. Originally comprised of Benjamin Curtis and Alejandra de la Deheza, the band is now just Alejandra after Curtis passed away from cancer in 2013. The upcoming album contains collaborations that the duo worked together during the Curtis’ final days.

“Ablaze” resonates the rollercoaster relationship of the two – for the decade that they’ve been crafting music, they were lovers for the first half and friends in the second half. The new single sounds like an ode to Curtis as Alejandra chants in an ahhh-echoing background, “You set my heart ablaze again.” The whole song seems to be a panegyric for Curtis and their friendship, outlining the revival of passions with bloated synth rumbles creating a festive woolgathering ambience. It is the leadoff of SVIIB, introducing the duo’s work by celebrating Curtis’ impact on their music and bond.