by Kris Handel
Babehoven, the New York duo comprised of Maya Bon and Ryan Albert, have solidified themselves over the past seven years, release after release, amongst the finest purveyors of forthright and achingly gorgeous indie-folk. Bon has a knack for penning songs full of intense and forthrightly poetic lyrics that reach the heart of personal issues while holding a universality that has wide ranging appeal. She has shown herself to be equally adept at heart-wrenching emotions and expressing the hidden beauty in the world and daily life in a manner that is wholesomely gripping. The music, with delicate to soaring keys and rumbling chunky guitars, shifts around adding color and depth across these tracks. With Water's Here in You, Babehoven have managed to push beyond guitar based folk songs, incorporating a denser atmosphere that ebbs and flows with power, moving through pain into contemplative rest and peace.
This record is a journey through two halves with the first group of tracks ranging from dauntingly sad to a frightening and disturbing gloom that carries serious weight. Babehoven have never been afraid to delve deeply into their past and here there are moments of hefty unpleasantness that can only be moved past by confrontation. "My Best Friend Needs" unravels a tale of a close friend going through personal travails and emotional unrest as Bon coos with a sympathetic open heartedness and overall acceptance. "Lonely, Cold Seed" carries an eerie atmosphere as keys/synths buzz beneath her wispy higher ranged operatic vocalizations floating above the ether as the track is dripping in a dark isolation and solemnity.
"Chariot" has a different kind of burning intensity, driven by lyrics of moving forward and past hardships with hope and passion. Bon's forceful vocals provide uplift and power that is the start of an uptick in mood and the chiming guitars and soft yet propulsive drums from Albert fit perfectly in the forward movement of the song. "Lightness is Loud" is a perfect encapsulation of lessons learned and a hard earned freedom from moving on as the lyrics carry a great perspective and appreciation of natural beauty. The light guitar work plays very well and accentuates the power in Bon's voice as this song comes off as a new breath of fresh air and brightness.
Over the years Babehoven's music has grown in confidence and explored various territories with a daring and mesmerizing power that continues to strike fierce blows as time goes by. Bon and Albert travel down some new avenues, coming across even more open and learned in all aspects with a steely resolve. This album is a well presented journey through upset, coming out the other side with a new perspective, and unburdening oneself through various methods. Though there is some heavy bloodletting going on here, the record’s flow is enchanting and structured perfectly, ending on senses of relief and peace, leaving the listener hopeful and with an uplifting promise and warmth that is stunning and extraordinary. Water’s Here In You has so much happening in it that it can be overwhelming at times, but that just adds to the astonishment one feels when experiencing it as a wonderful and complicated whole.