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Pink Balloons

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Pink Balloons
Studio album by
ReleasedApril 17, 2024 (2024-04-17)
StudioFidelitorium, Kernersville, North Carolina[1]
Genre
Length35:40
LabelTopshelf
ProducerJeremy Snyder

Pink Balloons (stylized as pink balloons) is the first full-length studio album by Washington, D.C.-based punk band Ekko Astral.

Recording and composition

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Pink Balloons was recorded and produced by Jeremy Snyder, of Brooklyn-based band Pure Adult.[2] The group had released their most recent album at the same time writing for Pink Balloons had begun; in an interview for Stereogum, singer Jael Holzman drew a positive comparison between Snyder's chaotic production style and what she saw as the ongoing state of the world.[3]

Lyrically, Pink Balloons focuses on themes such as feeling unsafe as a woman in public, facing discrimination and transmisogyny, and the historical treatment of disadvantaged communities, including Native Americans in the United States.[4] The title of the record was intended to be a reaction against the mainstream commodification of feminism. This theme is expanded upon in songs such as "On Brand"; described as the album's climax by Holzman, the band has said the song is "dedicated to all the people in DC who make money off people dying".[5][4] The social commentary present in the album is often interspersed with cultural references. Pink Balloons features wordplay based around Bon Iver, Frank Ocean, and Creedence Clearwater Revival among others; the title of "Somewhere at the Bottom of the River Between L'Enfant and Eastern Market" references La Dispute's album Somewhere at the Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair,[2][3] while "Sticks and Stones" references Dave Chappelle's controversial stand-up special of the same name.[4]

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Paste8.9/10[6]
Pitchfork8/10[2]

Pink Balloons received positive reviews from critics.[6][2] Writing for the album's inclusion in Consequence's "Best Albums of April 2024" list, critic J. Krueger called the album "a genuinely exciting debut".[7]

In June 2024, two months after the album's release, Pink Balloons was named as one of Stereogum's "50 Best Albums of 2024 So Far".[8] The same month, album closing track "I90" was named one of Paste's "50 Best Songs of 2024 So Far".[9]

Track listing

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All lyrics by Jael Holzman, except where noted.

No.TitleLyricsLength
1."Head Empty Blues" 2:48
2."Baethoven" 2:46
3."uwu Type Beat" 2:29
4."On Brand" 4:25
5."Somewhere at the Bottom of the River Between L'Enfant and Eastern Market"Ari Drennen2:23
6."Make Me Young"Guinevere Tully1:08
7."Sticks and Stones" 3:02
8."Buffaloed" 1:51
9."Devorah" 5:41
10."Burning Alive on K St."instrumental0:30
11."I90" (featuring Josaleigh Pollett)Holzman, Drennen8:37
Total length:35:40

Personnel

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Ekko Astral

  • Jael Holzman - vocals, cover art
  • Liam Hughes - lead guitar, organ (track 2), synthesizer (tracks 3 and 4), rhythm guitar (track 6), Wurlitzer (track 11)
  • Sam Elmore - rhythm guitar
  • Guinevere Tully - bass guitar, vocals (track 6)
  • Miri Tyler - drums, synthesizer (track 4), organ (tracks 6 and 7), percussion (tracks 1, 3, and 9)

Additional personnel

  • Jeremy Snyder - producer, percussion (tracks 1, 3, and 4), vocals (track 9)
  • Carl Saff - mastering
  • John Lee - photography
  • Pablo Manriquez - cover art

References

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  1. ^ Topshelf Records 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Corcoran, Nina (April 17, 2024). "Ekko Astral: pink balloons Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Farrell, Margaret (March 27, 2024). "Band To Watch: Ekko Astral". Stereogum. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Lesuer, Mike (April 17, 2024). "Ekko Astral Take Us Through Their Seething Debut Album "Pink Balloons" Track by Track". Flood. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  5. ^ Mitra, Jay (June 4, 2024). "Ekko Astral are redefining the political voice in punk". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  6. ^ a b Mitchell, Matt (April 25, 2024). "On pink balloons, Ekko Astral Show Their Teeth and Leave Room For Grace". Paste. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  7. ^ "Best Albums of April 2024: Staff Picks". Consequence. April 25, 2024. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  8. ^ "The 50 Best Albums Of 2024 So Far". Stereogum. June 4, 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  9. ^ "The 50 Best Songs of 2024 So Far". Paste. June 7, 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024.