A cosmic story like no other, Glass Animals finally delivered us their space album. It was hailed by Dave to be about all things ‘love’ and the universal experiences we have in that realm. Aptly titled I Love You So F***ing Much, it’s often explicit and of course stylistically diverse as the band presents such themes in their semantically quirky way.
What better way to kick it off than with ‘Show Pony’, which sets the scene for a burgeoning love. It opens with an understated and slightly lower fidelity synth next to a very rich acoustic guitar companion, before launching into the first verse. The verses are clear and crisp with that subtle acoustic strumming easing us in, but it’s the squealing synth and guitar combo upon the peak of the chorus that smacks you with such gusto, you can’t help but be enthralled by this number. The contrast between the structural elements is reminiscent of lighthearted and innocent discovery within the verses, and the absolute devastation from the inherently painful side of love among the chorus. The transition between the two, led by the lyric “So roll those credits, ‘cause the sequel’s gonna hurt, mmm”. The chorus then doubles down, “Show pony, make it burn / Smile as the knife is turned” and we get this sense that the song hints at the excitement of fresh love, and of course the inevitable pain that comes with it. It seems like Dave is trying to process his pain as something beautiful, because without it, his love couldn’t be so relatively grand. The instrumental feels totally infinite, like it truly ascends out into the cosmos as we hear Dave sing “Show pony making a return / As we make our way through the universe”. This song sets the galactic theme that will hallmark the rest of the album’s tones. It’s an absolute banger, and it is surprising that it wasn’t a single.
‘whatthehellishappening?’ is next up in the queue, and is unapologetically peppy. The InnerSpeaker era Tame Impala inspired shimmering and wavering guitar continues to build our sonic landscape. This evokes a whirlwind listen, which matches the declaration of unbridled euphoria, as this new love is overwhelming. “I’m so happy / this is just where I want to be” is repeated as a ringing cacophony of major chords swell towards the end of the track, drawing evermore serotonin. “True love / what a beautiful sh*tstorm” sums up the song’s sentiment, that love is everything, beautiful, ugly, great, awful, all manifestations of contrast. It’s so much, that sometimes it can feel like you have no idea what’s going on. Just as we get carried away in the overwhelming joy, Dave brings us back to earth with his interrupted quip, as the music abruptly stops when he tries to say “really took me by surprise”. Funny man, that was clever.
The lead single ‘Creatures in Heaven’ follows, bringing a more intimate and sincere tone with the baritone Gregorian synth choir leading the charge, balanced against a pensive electronic drum beat, building to a declaration of love lost and the gaping hole left in its absence. We are taken to a bedroom at 3am, it feels like we’re privy to something tender. “You held me like my mother made me just for you” might just be the most heavenly depiction of divine connection heard in a while. That lyric alone subjects us to the gravity of the situation, followed by the lead into the chorus “such small words, but they hit so huge”. We know what those words are, and the weight of them sits heavy as Dave sings “I don’t think I realised / just how much I miss you sometimes”. It explores the expanse of moments between our nearest and dearest, those moments that exist only in a world of our own. It ruminates on the idea of saying how we feel, before we lose the chance to. An appropriately themed song that ultimately approaches how sacred our connections are.
‘Wonderful Nothing’ initially presents itself as a cinematic theme for an antagonist, with string swells and subtle operatic vocals, but little do we realise, it is going to be one of the hardest songs on the LP. “Wonderful nothing / you just want something nice / you just want substance” and “I think I’m the devil in disguise” illustrates this aloof character, depicting a palpable scheming and writhing sourness. The break is then signaled with Dave confidently stating, “I’m a f*cking delight”, it doubles down on this trajectory and goes full brash to take the power back, as the animosity seeps in. “I come back in with the 1 -2” is the line to undeniably declare the comeback from the very lowest point of a heartbreak. We transition into a dense trap beat with some pounding drums which don’t hold back – it is ‘Tokyo Drifting’s cousin, and also has some deep-set origins of ‘Gooey’ coming through. This song will quickly hold place on the driving playlist, it’s a neon-soaked bop, that carries the comeback energy so well. It isn’t lost on us for long though, as the song sees us out with a downward spiraling synth as we hear Dave admit “There’s the rub, maybe I’m the fool / I’m tryna stop, but I still love you”.
The second single from I Love You So F***ing Much is ‘A Tear in Space (Airlock)’ which opens with this fantastic spaghetti western stand-off sounding film-score, transitioning to the main theme with an iconic splitting whip crack. That whip crack sound is Glass Animals showing off their production prowess, always finding neat placements for unique soundbites. Bayley has said he was inspired by traditional sci-fi films and the film-score influence is presented here in a dynamic form. It feels like an orchestral pop song, with hints of glassy synths mixed with syncopated strings and electronic drums. As the song builds to its chorus, we get this ascending vacuum sound that feels like all the emotions are being forced out. The metaphor of an airlock is aurally represented by this, and we get a sense of space physically tearing apart but also the isolation of a human tear floating in space, representing the loss felt. This one has an irresistible hook, that will no doubt get stuck in your head. It feels like the grandiose of this album’s universal theme manifests the strongest here.
‘I Can’t Make You Fall In Love Again’ is a more reserved and slow-burn number, with some very emotive insights into Dave’s personal life. He has lamented upon the album’s release, that the warm reception for ‘Heat Waves’ made him feel secure enough to share the most personal feelings in this album, and this song presents it clearly. The bedrock for this track comes from a neat little toe-tapper beat chaperoned by lush acoustic strokes to take us further into the cosmos. The timbre of the guitar is embracing in an acceptance kind of way. As the song grapples with the question – what if – it feels like it’s coming to terms with what is. The pivotal line “Never gave me goodbye but you were gone in high school / You walked out of my life, I still wonder sometimes /
What would we have been like?” gives us an appreciation for the vast history this love has, dating back to adolescence. But as time goes on, things are harder to remember clearly, “Your blurry old tattoos / My faded jelly shoes, a box of apple juice” – another memorable line from our metaphorical maestro. Tempo ebbs and flows nicely as the track revisits past memoirs and eventually settles at the end to an appropriate fade out, just as the memories fade.
Keeping it to a strict stripped back agenda on the following song, ‘How I Learned To Love The Bomb’ keeps the pace tempered appropriately. The middle of the album really feels like we’re left floating in space for some reflection among an oddly enticing void. Bayley has explained that this album was born out of an existential crisis, and this part of the LP feels like coming to terms with it all. Appreciating the void, looking at it, and smiling, because its all relative anyway. The lyrics in this one directly acknowledge the sonder, the fact that people are complex creatures, and sometimes it feels like we don’t know who someone is. The pre-chorus defines this sentiment, “Runnin’ around, and we’re playin’ the blame game / Black swan, I’ll never see you the same way / Which one is you? Oh, is anything true?”. This song will likely grow on people, as its playful tongue and cheek narrative becomes a little clearer with each listen.
‘White roses’ takes us back to the more upbeat and hook laden tune design. The standout element of this song are the stylistically nostalgic lyrics. Imaginative lines like “But I think we’re formed from old Lego / In a bedside drawer where the stray things go / And I think we’re formed from old play-doh” dredge up our shared childhood memories. Dave has a tendency to strike our inner child, incorporating nostalgia into his writing where possible. The playful nature of the lyricism is still rife in this album, it’s great to hear that the quirk from Dave is not lost on him from all the commercial success. A bonus is that this song also feels like an implicit return to the Wavey Davey moniker, as he almost raps along to this trap heavy track.
‘On The Run’ brings an organ into play through the introduction, and it doesn’t disappoint. Taking it to heavenly heights again, and we know we’re heading to a triumphant ending to the album. It seems conclusive in a way as the twee sounding synths seem a little similar to ‘Helium’ from Dreamland, and overall, it feels resolute. But then it takes it up a gear with the pace of the chorus, to keep us engaged right to the very end. The song is clearly about running away from emotions, with its effective hook representing the addictive temptation of self-sabotage. The song feels like it’s paying homage to the passing of time, and how Dave’s feeling about relationships now, given all the experiences he’s had and where it has left him as a result.
But the true ending comes in the form of the honest and divine ‘Lost In The Ocean’. It’s the cinematic conclusion to a journey through the galaxy, returning to another expansive space, the ocean. It features swaying drums and backing vocals which feels like a soft landing after a truly emotive listen. The album devotes itself to all the depths of love, and so it feels like a reprieve to return to this song at the end. The chorus “You get lost in the ocean / What do you do when you are so broken?” and “How are you so loved and so lonesome” really point at the complexity of heartbreak. We are so often surrounded by all kinds of love, but the romantic kind seems to hold the most weight, and we can feel guilty for taking that for granted. The bridge features the lines “My monologue’s out of control / I found the hole where the happiness goes / Lump in my throat and a throat in my tongue / I’m going to scream at the top of my lungs”, which feels very metaphorical for the inability to express how it all feels sometimes. After all the musing, we are left with a hopeful and warm moment, where Bayley sings “And now I’m here and I’m hoping / For sun in the afternoon”.
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This piece provides metaphorical quips on everything to do with the subject of love, and in a Glass Animals way, it doesn’t disappoint the intrigued ear. As we learn life with the indie-pop group’s fourth studio album, we’ll be sure to find new-found sonic pockets that continually give interesting textures and vibes that often can’t be explained. The album feels like it has the ability to land differently depending on the mood, and for that, it is valuable. Go have a listen, and let your imagination run wild.
