On October 28, the official Twitter account for School of Seven Bells, or SVIIB, posted an audio clip along with a tweet written by vocalist Alejandra Deheza. The tweet announced a new album from the band that will be released in February 2016 via Vagrant Records. The album cover is below.
SVIIB is a New York-based band formed in 2007 by three people: Alejandra Deheza on vocals and guitar, her sister Claudia on keyboards and vocals and Benjamin Curtis rounded out the band on guitar, synthesizer and vocals. However, Claudia left the band in 2010 and Curtis died of T-cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma in 2013, so Alejandra is the sole member of the band now. She is joined on tours by bassist James Elliott, drummer Joe Stickney, keyboards and backing vocalist Allie Alvarado and drummer Christopher Colley.
The audio clip that Alejandra tweeted on Wednesday night is only 15 seconds and features a slowly spinning sphere with a lavender and white color scheme. The ethereal visual matches up with the audio, which is synth-heavy but calming. In the text of the tweet, Alejandra refers to the upcoming album as a love letter to friends and fans. See the full tweet below.
Friends, this is a love letter from start to finish. This record is for you <3 -Alejandra https://t.co/6ZFkvaKC7Z pic.twitter.com/mWDbxC72SA
— SchoolofSevenBells (@sviib) October 29, 2015
Alejandra also wrote a longer statement to fans and friends:
Friends,
Benjamin and I wrote this record during a tour break in the summer of 2012. I can easily say that it was one of the most creative and inspired summers of our lives. What followed was the most tragic, soul shaking tidal wave that life could deliver, but even that wouldn’t stop the vision for this record from being realized. This is a love letter from start to finish. It’s the story of us starting from that first day we met in 2004, and that’s the story of School of Seven Bells. So much love to all of you. Thank you for being a constant light in our lives. This record is for you <3
The last music released by SVIIB was a cover of Joey Ramone’s “I Got Knocked Down (But I’ll Get Up)” recorded prior to Curtis’s death and released in 2014. The new album, for which a title has not yet been announced, will be produced by Justin Meldal-Johnsen. He has formerly worked with artists like Young the Giant and supergroup The Black Queen.