Braids – Slayer Moon/2020

Braids are releasing two singles on the same day. This is what used to be known back in the day as a double-A side. Like many a great double A-side the two songs are two entirely different beasts.

Side A ‘Slayer Moon’ is a swooping, mystical piece that sees vocalist Raphaelle Standell-Preston’s voice tremble and soar in equal measures. It builds with lush instrumentation, veering from soft keys to pounding synths. And captures a sense of the absurd whilst maintaining a grasp of the normal. The song dances around the ubiquitous refrain “What a deal, legs with more potential than my life”.

The other side A ‘2020’ is a quieter, more subtle meditation on the feeling of being alone. The song was written in 2017 but the themes were so pertinent to the isolation caused by last year’s detachment from the outer world the band retitled it. 2020 really captures the essence of how loneliness can be overwhelming even in a crowd and the building crescendo encapsulates the suffocation experienced, “Who am I without you in my life?” sings Standell-Preston.

‘2020’ feels the stronger of the two tracks both in terms of lyrical depth and musical experimentation. It really is a great song and gets better with every listen. The two singles stand as an excellent showcase for the way Braids perfectly explore real life in an otherworldly fashion.

Matthew Bryan