School Of Seven Bells - SVIIB [25th Anniversary Edition]

The story of SVIIB is one of profound creativity and heartbreaking resilience. Written during the summer of 2012—a period Alejandra Deheza describes as one of the most inspired of their lives—the album was born just before a "tragic, soul-shaking tidal wave" hit the band. Later that year, Benjamin Curtis was diagnosed with a rare form of T-Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma. Following his passing in December 2013, Deheza was left as the sole guardian of their shared vision. In 2014, she moved to Los Angeles to complete the record with producer Justin Meldal-Johnsen, ensuring that Curtis’s final musical contributions were featured as prominently as possible.

SVIIB is, in Deheza's words, a "love letter from start to finish." It chronicles the journey of School of Seven Bells from the moment the pair met in 2004 until their final days together. Musically, the album is a triumphant fusion of shimmering dream-pop, driving electronic pulses, and expansive shoegaze textures. From the soaring, euphoric energy of "Ablaze" and "On My Own" to the hauntingly beautiful "Open Your Eyes," the record captures the "era" of their partnership with a sound that is both massive and intimately personal. It is a celebratory document of a singular creative bond that refused to be silenced by tragedy.

This vinyl edition offers the most immersive way to experience the album’s "dense, crystalline" production. The warmth of the analog format highlights the intricate layers of Curtis’s guitar work and the ethereal power of Deheza’s vocals. Housed in artwork that prominently features the Roman numerals representing their time together, SVIIB is not just an album; it is a legacy. It remains a mandatory listen for anyone moved by the intersection of electronic pop and raw human emotion.