School of Seven Bells

School of Seven Bells is a dream pop/shoegaze band which formed in 2007 in Brooklyn, New York, United States. The band consists of identical twin sisters Alejandra Deheza (vocals, bass), Claudia Deheza (vocals, keyboards) and Benjamin Curtis (guitar). The Deheza sisters are former members of On!Air!Library! and Curtis is a former member of Secret Machines and Tripping Daisy. The band is named after the School of the Seven Bells, a mythical South American pickpocket training academy. Curtis and the Deheza sisters met when both were opening on an Interpol tour. The three decided to end their commitments to their old bands, move in to a shared space, and create a home recording studio together. Their sound has been described as dreamy and ethereal, and the lyrics as abstract. Singer, Deheza, insists that the lyrics are not. The band has an unorthodox song writing process that begins with lyrics, which are only supplemented by the music. Curtis has said this is the most important part of the band with "everything else [being] accompaniment." A before-and-after example of this process is hosted by NPR's program Day to Day (see 3:50s). In concert, Curtis, who stays mostly on lead guitar can often be seen manipulating various electronic devices in between guitar segments. A single, My Cabal, was released in May 2007 on the UK label Sonic Cathedral. A 12"/digital EP, Face To Face On High Places, was released in September 2007 on Table Of The Elements. A single from Prefuse 73 called Class Of 73 Bells also features School of Seven Bells. The band toured with Blonde Redhead in September of 2007 and with Prefuse 73 in November of 2007. School of Seven Bells' debut album, Alpinisms, was released by Ghostly International in the U.S. on 28 October 2008. It is available as both a physical and digital release. The band performed at the WIDR Barking Tuna Festival on 18 October 2008. Afterwards, they were the support act for a U.S. tour with M83. Their second full-length album, Disconnect from Desire, was released on 13 July 2010.