Photo by Luke Ivanovich

“We’ve been trying to make some of the newer stuff less maximalist and just focus on what we can accomplish live. It’s not that these songs are simpler: They’re just different and have more space, more room to breathe,” says Spirit of the Beehive’s Zach Schwartz of the tracks featured on the band’s forthcoming extended play, i’m so lucky. Following the wild sensory over-stimulation of the Philly experimental pop trio’s breakthrough sophomore effort, ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH, anything might feel like a comedown from that, but this direction also is an organic course to follow moving forward. Born out of dissolution of he and bandmate Rivka Raved’s relationship, space is a necessity on one of two of its early highlights, “natural devotion 2”. The listen coasts through a lo-fidelity of cooling effects and a dimming haze with Schwartz and Raved each reflecting swept up feelings in present and past form. “Don’t dissolve in the water with your hand stretched out to find her / In the stillness, I’ll remember how you held me when we were together.” Shit still gets weird in sound when they’re in the studio together, but here, it’s as if the intimacy that was has broken down new barriers they’re discovering are worth exploring.

Spirit of the Beehive’s i’m so lucky will be released September 1st on Saddle Creek.