Bacchanalia Magazine

by Clara Guillot

On September 13th, New York City trio Hello Mary put out their sophomore album Emita Ox, released through Frenchkiss records. Its production is elite, with many tracks having a noisy/shoegaze vibe that perfectly blends all of the different layers without sounding too crowded. Guitarist/vocalist Helena Straight, drummer/vocalist Stella Wave, and bassist Mikaela Oppenheimer have done it yet again, combining indie vocals with grungy guitar parts, melodic basslines, and thick drums to create a sound unique to only them. 

“Hiyeahi” and the opening track “Float” deliver a more industrial sound, creating a jarring (but wonderful) break between some of the lighter tracks, showing just how experimental the trio can get. “0%” is a loud, cathartic track, opening with a fake-out riff that soon rips into  heavy, distorted guitar accompanied by screamed lyrics. “I don’t feel bad you can’t be here!” Following this is “Three”, a fairytale-like track utilizing the album’s namesake in the lyrics, “Emita stands politely with her ox’s head resting on her shoulder.”

“Down My Life” is very reminiscent of some tracks off of “The Bends”, with drums opening the song and restrained, soft-spoken lyrics, transitioning nicely into “Knowing You”. Despite its light, airy acoustic guitar, this depicts a broken relationship through lyrics like “Easier when I go blind / Harder when you don’t arrive” and “Shame you went and drained us of trust.” “Bubble” is a similar song, utilizing light vocals, lovely harmonies, and that gorgeous acoustic guitar again.

“Heavy Sleeper” has a dreamlike sound, with layered vocals that feel like sleeping under a weighted blanket, setting this track apart from the rest of the album. Consequently, “Footstep Misstep” creates a nice juxtaposition, immediately jerking you out of the nice dream and thrusting you into reality and the album’s rough sound once again. “Courtesy” is an amazing mix of light and dark, with bright vocals being weighed down by dense drums and nice, opaque guitar. Finally, “Everything We Do” ends the album with a surprising softness, showing just how genre bending the group can be.

All in all, Emita Ox is a perfect fall album that embraces the air of change that comes with the season. It ebbs through highs and lows, just like we do as people, but instead of seeing  them as an obstacle, they are viewed as opportunities for something new and unusual. Hello Mary continues to pave the way for indie music and alt rock with their entirely unique sound, reshaping the genres as a whole.

Cover Photo: Cooper Winterson