Chastity Belt - 'Hollow'
Storming their way onto the music scene with their first substantial release in 2013 (the standard-setting ‘No Regerts’), the Walla Walla band Chastity Belt quickly became synonymous with what could be argued, their own completely unique twist on classic indie rock sounds.
Taking influence from 90’s rock and the riot grrrrl scene (see Le Tigre and Bikini Kill guitars veined throughout), the witty and edgy quartet seemingly disappeared without a trace after the release of their self-titled record in 2019, and four years later, they’ve made a surprise, and wholly welcome return with ‘Hollow’.
Not worlds away from previous tracks such as ‘Cool Slut’ and ‘IDC’, ‘Hollow’ sees the band opt for cleaner, more sonically prevalent instrumentation, as opposed to the hazy, almost fuzzy sounds we’re used to.
Featuring soft vocals and a stripped back landscape, melodic intonations and scales reign supreme atop lilty percussive beats and subdued guitar notes, ‘Hollow’ is a completely idyllic and soothing return offering.
Almost parallel to the direction Big Thief adopted for their musical progression in recent years (think ‘Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You’), the narrative orbits around feeling lost and losing sense of self (“real life doesn’t feel real anymore”), and the emotionally charged and deeply personal lyrics offer a sense of comfort and clarity.
Sitting as the first cut to be taken from their upcoming fifth record (the tongue-in-cheek titled ‘Live Laugh Love’), ‘Hollow’ provides an exciting glimpse of what the indie-adjacent outfit still have hidden up their sleeves. They’ve taken time away, matured and refined, and ‘Hollow’ is all the better for it.
Words by Lana Williams
