Glass Animals Mature on ‘How to Be a Human Being’

Stephanie Hernandez

British indie band, Glass Animals first tantalized dance floors with their percussion and synth-filled 2014 debut “Zaba,” the first release on producer Paul Epworth’s Wolf Tone label, and it was clear these Oxford boys were something special. Infectious pop blended with hip-hop and electronica, and paired with Dave Bayley’s simple and honest lyricism made for a record difficult to surpass. What began as Bayley’s response to intense bouts of insomnia has ascended to a higher level, and “How to Be a Human Being” sweeps over the listener with its lush sounds. Glass Animals has effectively crafted a signature style that’s not as fragile as their name would suggest. It’s robust, mature, and rich in texture and production.

One of the album’s stand out elements are the direct, free of pretense lyrics, and Bayley does an excellent job creating a world many can relate to, such as on opening track, “Life Itself,” with lyrics like, “I can’t get a job, but I live with my Mum / I take her money / but not quite enough.” Infectious in its percussion and beats, the record captures the absurdities of modern daily life, part autobiographical and part fiction, tales from their time on the road, “How to be a Human Being” becomes a snapshot into the lives of many characters, one of whom you are bound to connect uncomfortably close with. The recorded conversations between tracks and Bayley’s remarkably personal lyrics give the record perspective enough to fill a lifetime.

Written after coming off a long tour just last December, the kinesthetic energy of the songs are clearly present. While Dave’s impressive falsetto and Joe Seaward’s progressive style drumming remain pillars on this record, “How to be a Human Being” also features a slew of instrumentation that “Zaba” eschewed. Elements like the guitars on “Take A Slice,” the distorted riff of “Poplar St” and the insanely catchy keyboard licks on “Season 2 Episode 3,” create a more complex sound.  The song sequence tells a story, from opener “Life Itself,” an examination of what it’s like to come into your own yet still have no idea where you’re going, to the final track “Agnes,” a song about the end of life.  

An effervescent ear worm of a record, Glass Animals have returned with an eclectic kick in the ass, in the best way possible. Rhythmic experimentation, sexy falsettos, stomping beats and roughed up guitars help “How to be a Human Being” play like a tight pop record without sounding saccharine. The album still sounds like the Glass Animals we have grown to love, but it is very obvious touring greatly increased the band’s confidence. Now they are not only presenting dance music but also a new, higher level of relatable humanity and the album is an endearing study in self-examination, one which reminds us that stories are meant to be listened to and shared, and that’s the simple beauty of “How to Be a Human Being.”

“How to Be a Human Being” is available Aug. 25 on Apple Music.