Since their self-titled debut in 2014, SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE has built a reputation as your favorite band’s favorite band. Their music invites immersion and confrontation, making listeners stop and wonder, “How are they even doing that?” Over the years, this mystique has helped them steadily rise, with their 2018 album Hypnic Jerks setting the stage for wider recognition. Now, on April 9th, SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE will release their fourth album and Saddle Creek debut, ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH. This album marks new territory for the band—it’s the first to feature their three-piece lineup and to be fully self-recorded and produced. Guitarist/vocalist Zack Schwartz and bassist/vocalist Rivka Ravede are joined by multi-instrumentalist Corey Wichlin, who moved from Chicago to their home base in Philadelphia in 2020. During the spring of that year, the trio began writing by sending files back and forth. “The process of making this album was basically the exact opposite of our experience creating Hypnic Jerks,” says Schwartz. “We recorded that in seven days because of limited studio time, while ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH took three or four months.”
The extended timeline was only one change. Recording remotely allowed the band to experiment with their sound, resulting in an album unlike anything they’ve done before. After finishing the digital recording and mixing, they mastered it to tape, giving the album a rich, textured quality. “We wanted to explore new instrumental elements,” says Wichlin. Schwartz adds, “We’re not going fully electronic, but guitar, bass, and drums can feel monotonous.”
ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH begins with an abstract composition that transitions into “ENTERTAINMENT,” a track that sets the tone for an album full of surprises. It’s an experience that draws listeners into the band’s mystifying soundscape. “GIVE UP YOUR LIFE,” for example, drops two semitones from beginning to end, adding a challenge for anyone trying to play along. “There are some bizarre tunings on this album,” says Schwartz, reflecting on the song “IT MIGHT TAKE SOME TIME,” which began as a conventional rock song before the band modified it to feel more discordant. “Now it sounds like drowning,” adds Ravede.
Though ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH lacks a singular theme, it samples old obscure commercials throughout, some of which shaped the songs rather than merely decorating them. Schwartz describes his writing as stream-of-consciousness, while Ravede says she doesn’t often write with specific intent. “The narrative usually reveals itself only after a song is done, and even then, it depends on the listener’s interpretation,” she explains. Despite the dreamlike quality of their lyrics, real-life experiences are woven into the album. “THE SERVER IS IMMERSED” reflects Schwartz’s food service job, tracking the monotony of daily routines until the voices of all three band members break the spell.
If one song captures SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE’s essence, it’s “THERE’S NOTHING YOU CAN’T DO,” which reflects the band’s evolution. Ravede’s airy vocals clash with Schwartz’s intense howl, underscored by live drums that recall their raw beginnings. “This track combines the sonic aesthetic of our old records with the electronic sounds we’re now exploring,” says Wichlin. Rather than a transformation, ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH is the latest iteration of a longstanding project. Ravede reflects, “There’s a line in the Bee Gees documentary that resonates with us: ‘We may not have always connected, but we always stuck around.’” Schwartz adds, “SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE: we’re still here.”
