Live Review: LISTEN: Heavenly Beat 'Messiah'

This was not what I expected. This was not what I expected at all. But is it a bad thing that Beach Fossils’ John Pena is surprising me? No. It isn’t. I expected something that reminded me of drinking at the beach. I expected shoegaze. This is not shoegaze. Nope, this is bassist Pena’s side project, HEAVENLY BEAT and it’s pretty light on bass. These are his beats.

Shoegaze-style cruisy vocals combined with a pretty dancy beat create this lovely little track, ‘Messiah.’ The result is an interesting sensation in my extremities. Doesn’t everyone secretly love disco-pop? His voice is saying ‘chill’ but the music is making me want to start to boogie around the room. It’s almost like I’m in space floating around and I just want to groove but the lack of gravity and this huge astronaut helmet are stopping me. Help me take it off. Help me. And then the song builds up to the pretty final instrumental: the best kind of  groovy climax.

I heard on the grapevine that Heavenly Beat are described as “attractive music for attractive people.” I feel pretty smangin’ now. ‘Messiah’ is the first song from forthcoming album Talent.

Talent is out July 24.

Words by Hannah Story.

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