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Sep 19, 2023 By Caleb Campbell

Babel is a rising indie pop duo based out of Finland. The band’s two members, Karin Mäkiranta and Mikko Pykäri are both accomplished musicians in their local Finnish pop landscape and they first began working together while making Pykäri’s solo album. With that collaboration, the pair sparked a thriving creative chemistry. They released their debut album, Yoga Horror, in 2022, channeling genre touchstones like Beach House and Cocteau Twins. This year, they’re set to follow with a sophomore effort, Marriage, due out later this week via PME Records.

Ahead of the album’s release the band have shared a string of new singles this year, returning most recently with their latest track, “Mirrors.” Today, they’re following with an early listen to one of the album’s highlights, “Bride’s Tip,” premiering with Under the Radar.

The record’s previous singles have seen Babel incorporating a sparkling indie pop flair into their music, filling out their ethereal soundscapes with twinkling keys, insistent basslines, and starry melodies. “Bride’s Tip” occupies a similar lane, but finds the pair stripping things back further, crafting a spacious instrumental colored by stately keys and airy vocals. Yet, the band infuses their sparse instrumental with a potent pulse, weaving infectious basslines and glassy hooks amidst the track’s chilly aesthetics. Danceable rhythms blend into serene soundscapes, crafting a track that feels both austere and compelling.

Pykäri says of the track, “We wanted to keep this as simple and minimalistic as possible,” and Mäkiranta adds, “There’s a jumpy flute solo in the outro.”

Check out the song below. Marriage is due out September 22nd via PME Records.