What does Manic Pixxies sound like?

Alternative art rock meets riot grrrl energy.

The review of ‘I know my headphones really well’ by Manic Pixxies

I love my headphones. It is my space to crawl into and feel safe in my own personal bubble. It’s this relationship that Swiss sextet Manic Pixxies explores on their debut album. The premise is that your headphones have heard everything you’ve ever wanted to enjoy, hide, or give your full attention to. Headphones come in different qualities, and they may amp the bass or make a sad song sadder. Manic Pixxies argue that to fully experience the album, you’ll need to know your headphones well.

I’d argue that this album works very well on big speakers, too. The rock band have selected seven songs for their debut that have taken four years to craft. Big speakers work incredibly well for the opening track, ‘Blue Carpet’. The song is boiling over with angst and frustration, leading to moments of rising screams and raucous guitars. It is a song designed to let listeners shed their pent-up energy, and the rising tension lets the track whip up a frenzy and explode like a firework. ‘Fall to Pieces’ has moments of sharp angst, but this time they are channelled into a slick rock number for the first three minutes. The lonely bassline groove and vocals evoke a smoky and sensual side of the band. Then, after the bridge, the electric guitars swamp in as the lyrics shift from self-reflection to pointed declarations of aggression. Deana’s playful vocals get angry, and when backed by her bandmates, Iana and Yèinou, they forge a soaring blade of anger. The rest of the band (Christina, Elin, and Janaina) switch up tempos, making the track spiral faster and faster, like an anthemic dervish. It’s a song that rewards patience with a fabulous finale.

Manic Pixxies are shapeshifters, and ‘Snowfall’ offers no release. Instead, it is a dreamy Cocteau Twin adjacent haze of a song. Childlike, angular vocals are backed by retro-mellotron synths that tape warp and creak under their own weight. As the band joins in, gentle guitar licks and rolling pianos allow space to exist. Compared to what’s come before, this is an open-ended beauty for fans of 4AD in the 80s. ‘Virgin Records’ sonic shifts again with a chugging rock song drenched in psychedelic synths that gurgle and glisten like gems clinking down a drain. After periods of ambient world-building, heavy rock choruses smash in, before retreating to ethereal dream-sequences. It’s a song that refuses to be pinned down, and each unique section is a delight to uncover.

‘Winter’ is Manic Pixxies’ epic, clocking in at over eight minutes. This moody ballad is a track of two halves. The first half is a dark, wispy duet of guitar noodles and vocals. The second half introduces piano, and the guitars move from their bassier single note performance to something more strummed before we go full post-rock for an effervescent finale. One thing that took a couple of listens to appreciate with this track was the vocals. Across the album, the vocals have moments of atonal clash that fall harshly on the ear. I quite enjoy that in angsty songs because there’s an unbridled rage channelled, but for most of this track, we’re in a sleep ballad territory. It may take a bit to get used to, but I appreciate its raw energy.

Surprising us with some punk riot energy, ‘Pissing outside the bandroom’ is a grungy punk track that starts out with a lounge-jazz introduction. The lyrics include French for the first time, alongside English choruses and verses, as the girls chant about how desperately they need to go before a gig. It’s oddly relatable and channels DIY and 60s punk perfectly. The closing track “C!it” is equally as riotous. With lyrics like “I wanna eat ya for breakfast” and pre-choruses that simulate orgasmic moans, the surf-punk style lets the band have a great time. From playground chants, buzzing lip noises (I know what I said) and an unbashed chaotic unravelling for the final minute, the high-energy approach brings playful fun to the adult language.

Manic Pixxies manages to create a kaleidoscope of sounds within just seven tracks, and the album is full of left turns and surprises. Sometimes it’s radio-friendly. Elsewhere, we’re shouting about the clitoris as punk rockers. Then there are moments of operatic jazz and post-rock walls of sound. One thing that shines through is how much fun the band is having. Aside from giggles and little snippets of “that was good” captured on tape, there’s a carefully constructed DIY vibe to Manic Pixxies that comes from knowing how to work together. A lovely debut.

Recommended track: Blue Carpet

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