Indie Music Album Reviews

Bad Science - Spacewalking

9/1/2022

Bad Science

Spacewalking
self-released; 2022

4.0 out of 5

By Joseph Krebaum

Bad Science is the moniker for Houston, TX multi-instrumentalist Laura Beale. She provides much of the writing and vocals as well as all of the instrumentation, recording and production for their debut studio album Spacewalking. Occasional vocals and co-writing are provided by close friend Hailey Ivey. It’s worth noting that this album was digitally recorded at home using Ableton, a user-friendly DAW. Looking back, Beale says that her main influences for this debut include such alternative rock staples as Linkin Park, Tame Impala and Twenty One Pilots. She also adds that soundtracks for video games, namely Kingdom Hearts and Mass Effect, have subconsciously played a role in shaping Spacewalking’s cosmic sound.

Right off the bat, “I Have Slept… (Intro)” establishes the album’s breezy nature by combining a clattering hip-hop style beat with reverbed guitar and a generous amount of synths. This brief but enticing introduction then gives way to the three-minute long “Nothing Happens,” where a funky riff coalesces with passing flurries of arpeggios. Though not quite as guitar-driven, I was reminded of the indie-meets-dream pop act, Cannons. ‘80s-esque snares float along effortlessly with soft vocals until the blissful outro, “Do you feel / Dead and rushed and / Do you feel / Out of time?”

The contrast between the jaded outro of this track and the fun bounciness of the next track, “Hey Hey Hey,” is big, but not jarring, and it works so well because it possesses such a carefree attitude. Read the list of imperatives for verses from their Bandcamp page, and they’ll put a smile on your face! The following tune “Peacetime” commences with some studio chatter. It’s a red herring for sure, since the rest of this song isn’t as playful. Still, I’m sure that the deeply introspective lyrics will resonate with TOP fans, especially the bridge, which flows a lot like Twenty One Pilots’ song, “Car Radio.” A particularly sharp hi-hat may kill the momentum somewhat, but that’s negligible.

Beale then launches herself into “Something,” a beautifully low-key moment where she sounds even more like Cannons, both vocally and musically. This beauty continues into the spacious five-minute piano ballad “See?” which is exclusively Ivey’s singing and harmonizing. Spare, yet moving, “See?” is another gorgeous highlight of the album.

While the strengths greatly outweigh the weaknesses of this debut, Beale and company still have their pitfalls. “Feeling Lonely” as well as “...and Now I See (Outro),” as integral to Spacewalking’s coming-of-age narrative as they are, feel a bit lacking when compared to the cool uniqueness of previous cuts. Moreover, with a total runtime that’s just shy of 26 minutes, Spacewalking reads much more like an EP rather than a full-length. Then again, perhaps labeling it as a full album isn’t so far-fetched. After all, Nine Inch Nails, one of my favorite artists, released their album Bad Witch back in 2018, and that was definitely supposed to be an EP! Whichever label you use, Bad Science makes one thing clear: their world of raw talent and charisma makes Spacewalking highly recommended listening.