The Glass Animals: A Journey Through The Psychedelic Jungle
A good many years ago, I naively proclaimed that synthesizers were undeserving of the title of instrument. Suffice to say I have since changed my tune considerably, mostly in part to the electric and engaging works of the Band “Glass Animals.”
Formed back in 2010, this Oxford based Psychedelic pop group has taken a lesser known genre and, through a mix of their unique sound design and vocals, popularized it to a wider audience. The band consists of four members. Its founder Dave Bayley (Lead Vocals, Guitar, Drums, Keyboards) and his childhood friends Joe Seaward (Drums, Percussion), Ed Irwin-Singer (Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Backing Vocals), and Drew MacFarlane (Guitar, Backing Vocals).
Bayley is responsible for the writing and production of the groups three official albums, Zaba (2014), How To Be A Human Being (2018), and Dreamland (2020).
To the best of my research, The Glass Animals Fandom (Who I have yet to find a name for), Did not truly start to form until the release of Zaba and more specifically, the track “Gooey” in 2014. While this is not to say that many of their other EP’s such as “Leaflings'' (2012) and “Black Mambo” (2013) were not well received, simply that their biggest boom in popularity coincided, at least continentally in the United States, with Zaba.
“Gooey” is admittedly a strange title for a song, which is made doubly interesting by the fact that it was the one to cement their standing within the psychedelic pop genre and skyrocket them to their current level of popularity. It was Performed live on Late Nightwith Seth Myers in 2014, and again on The Late Showwith David Letterman In February of 2016. (Lefort Report, Letterman).
The fandom itself is a very open and welcoming one, excitedly encouraging new fans to join online communities dedicated to the band and their music. The most prominent of these that I have found is the r/GlassAnimals Subreddit
Here countless individuals share fanart, images of merchandise they have purchased from the online shop, videos from previous concerts, and various pop culture references to lyrics from their songs. This is to say nothing of the extensive mega thread pinned at the top of the subreddit where individuals can go seeking all sorts of answers to all sorts of questions. There is also a Glass Animals community Discord that serves many of the same purposes as the subreddit.
Outside of this there are not many community hubs dedicated to the Glass Animals. There is a Facebook, which seldom sees use, and an official Website which admittedly is a bit difficult to navigate at first glance due to its highly stylized design. The band also has a Twitter, as well as an Instagram, where they engage with the community and share photos and updates on their current projects.
As they are a fairly new band, there does not seem to be any “scholarly” discussions surrounding their impact on the music genre.
The aesthetic of the band, I believe, contributes greatly to their popularity and relatability. It coincides with the typically upbeat nature of their songs. Each of the three album covers is unique and contributes to each unique musical motifs respectively. "Zaba" is a dark and Synth heavy journey through a shadow ridden, musical jungle. "How to Be a Human" feels like a breath of fresh air compared to its predecessor, as if one were stepping out of a dark claustrophobic room and into a wide open field. And finally "Dreamland" is exactly as its name implies. a technicolor, ethereal soundscape that toes the border between reality and whatever lies beyond.
"Watch Glass Animals play 'Gooey' on Letterman".
https://shop.glassanimals.com/#main-content
Glass Animals | Facebook
Glass Animals Official Website | New album DREAMLAND out now
Glass Animals (@glassanimals) • Instagram photos and videos
Glass Animals (@GlassAnimals) / Twitter
(no link to the discord is freely available. it is a service one must opt in to view)
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