The best bands are the ones that seem to pop up out of nowhere. “half•alive” did just that. Well, more specifically, the group popped up out of Long Beach, California in 2016. Songwriter Josh Taylor and drummer Brett Kramer just released an EP of three songs and a single with a fantastic music video.
Is there anything more satisfying than a one-take video with perfect choreography and mood lighting? Yes. Groovy music to go along with it. As someone who is constantly exploring music and finding new, creative videos, I can honestly tell you that “still feel” by “half•alive” has by far the best video I have seen in months. That must be why the video has over 10 million views.
The boys wear thrift store-esque clothes and perform an expertly timed dance under purple and blue lights while mouthing the song’s infectious lyrics. It seems to be from another time – maybe even another dimension.
To top it off, this is not one of those songs that is only fun to listen to while watching the video. Even without the visual element of the video, the song itself is energetic and powerful. It has a catchiness without too much reliance on repetition, an ethereal quality without coming off melodramatic and a danceable beat underneath.
There is something lovably otherworldly in the lyrics. “Flowin’ in outer space/have I misplaced a part of my soul/Lost in the in between/but it can’t keep me asleep for long/Cause I still feel alive,” Taylor sings.
When you listen, you will feel alive too. My only suggestion is that you wait to try out “still feel” until you have a lot of free time. Because once you watch it once, you might just want to hit the replay button about a dozen times.
The other recently released songs are so diverse that it is hard to believe they are all created by the same group. “aawake at night” is a quintessential pop ballad, with an air of drama and emotion. The song’s sentimentality is clear in its lyrics: “My heart is like an ocean searching/I’ve been drowning in this restless mind.”
The song is such a stark contrast compared to “still feel.” It is refreshingly emotional and thought-provoking. Its video is another must-watch.
The next song on the EP, “tip toes,” starts off sounding a bit like a Glass Animals song, with an echoing, isolated vocalization, but within seconds the tempo picks up. The punk-sounding, introspective lyrics sound similar to the vocals of Twenty-One Pilots, but that is where the similarities end.
The song is all its own. It has an angry, high-energy vibe without coming across too “emo.” It waxes and wanes in intensity, so that it is exciting but not overwhelming. The revival of the chorus is suspensefully quiet and crescendos back into overdrive.
The most simplistic song on the album is “the fall.” The song is about vulnerability and trust, or the lack thereof. “Once you say it outloud it can’t be undone,” Taylor sings; “I don’t feel safe at all.” Social anxiety is probably the most relatable possible topic for a song.
Not one song is a dud. If you are looking for something unapologetically new to listen to, I suggest the up-and-coming “half•alive.” And start with “still feel.”
