Glass Animals ‘How To Be A Human Being’

Words by Cher Dunn

Oxford-based quartet Glass Animals are one of my ‘love at first listen bands’. I couldn’t get my hands on their 2014 debut album ZABA fast enough, and I felt the same way when I first got word of How To Be A Human Being. I don’t want to say Glass Animals are infallible in my eyes, I’m just saying they might be infallible.

How To Be A Human Being is a bright, sonic change from what we heard in ZABA, but plays as an addicting evolution to their unique sound. Perfectly produced with rich layers of eclectic electronic sounds and vocals which marry a rich mix of dance, hip-hop, soul, R&B and indie rock influences, Glass Animals have developed their sound beautifully with this record. Inspired by stories they heard on the road from random people they met while on tour, the album interweaves rich, trippy, funny, thrilling and some downright creepy stories in a way that could only be perfected by this one-of-a-kind band. The mesmerizing instrumentals and story-telling lyrics will make you want to listen to the album on repeat and continue to discover new depths to each story and track every time you listen.

The opening track “Life Itself” draws you in immediately with heavy drums and a movie-soundtrack feel setting up the narrative nature of the album before fading gorgeously into their soft and infectious track “Youth”. One of our favorite tracks on the record is “Season 2 Episode 3”- with video game samples and overall R&B vibe while “The Other Side of Paradise” emanates the band’s hip-hop influences. No matter what track you are listening to, How To Be A Human Being will have your body moving and grooving along wherever you are listening.

We can’t wait to hear these new tracks intermixed with our favorites from ZABA for an intense and insanely fun live show. Glass Animals are currently touring the US heading to Philadelphia September 26th and two nights at Terminal 5 in NYC on the 28th and 29th of September. For tickets and more tour dates, click here.