Song Review: “Orion’s Call” by Belly Of The Heart & Alfred.
Trip-hop has always felt intrinsically connected to the cosmos. Its atmospheric beats and gossamer-like textures blend into an esoteric soundscape, where veiled meanings linger behind layers of stunning splendor. Just as the universe reveals a balance of chaos and structure, so does trip-hop, with its expansive hip-hop spirit stretching the boundaries of electronic compositions, infused with a burrowing dub sound and jazzy charm. Richmond electronic pulsars Belly Of The Heart not only feel this connection–they harness it, along with the fluid maestro Alfred., on their latest single, “Orion’s Call,” a beckoning track tailor-made for incandescent immersion.
Revolving around a melodic core fueled by nuanced talent, the band revels in its ability to spiral within the floating envelope of sound, allowing each motion to unfold naturally. This creates a space where even the slightest shifts stand out with captivating luster, their subtlety becoming part of the track’s shimmering allure. The downtempo beats and enthralling sounds act like pulses, subtle radio waves in a vast space, welcoming listeners to drift and lose themselves in its depths. It’s not a push but a pull–like gravity drawing listeners into an orbit where time feels suspended, each moment unfolding effortlessly, as though it’s always been there, uncovered layer by layer. The music doesn’t merely captivate; it entices, drawing listeners deeper into the void of sonic landscapes. Each note and beat flows with organic ease, creating a sense of inevitability as the melody rolls out, pulling you further into the track’s magnetic energy. Its whispers and rhythms charge the air, pulling you into a stellar embrace where time fades and only the sound remains.
The lyrics don’t get lost in this astral interpretation; instead, they surround the sparse references to celestial bodies with casual observations and clever one-liners that flow effortlessly, delighting the mind with their subtle intrigue. “You’re my favorite souvenir,” begins the song’s eclipsing chorus, “Let me make that crystal clear\ Tender whispers in my ear, saying: ‘Just a little bit more, just a little bit more.’” It’s an earworm nestled inside an earworm, sublimely crafted to hide in plain sight within the song’s melodic pull. This clever structure not only has you anticipating its return later in the song but also craving it, as if it’s meant to be rediscovered again and again.
Alfred.’s contribution amplifies the song’s elusive yet clever essence. Their presence stretches the track’s magnetic pull, extending it just a little longer and with more intensity. It’s like spotting a hidden gem from the edge of space–just enough to catch your eye, pulling you in until its full brilliance is revealed and impossible to ignore. However, the true genius lies in how both Alfred. and Belly Of The Heart playfully present themselves in the song. In one moment, an impish bar made up of nothing but “beep” flows out irresistibly, followed almost immediately by a tongue-in-cheek section that begins with the banal yet catchy, “I like your band, I like your song.” It mirrors the feeling of sitting behind a deep-space telescope, one moment awestruck by the Pillars of Creation, and the next, laughing at the sight of a horse’s head peeking out of a molecular cloud–playfully nestled within Orion’s Belt, the very inspiration for this song.
In this way, the song transforms from an exploration into an impression, an imprint of our own psyche upon the vastness that surrounds us. Like children lying on the grass, pointing out shapes in the clouds, we look to the heavens to find beauty, humor, horror, and confusion, even though it’s all part of the same cosmic whole. This theme reverberates through “Orion’s Call,” making the track feel like a continuous loop–one that has been fragmented for easier comprehension, much like a Mercator map, when its true form is an endless cycle of musical delight.
What Belly Of The Heart and Alfred. deliver here is an invitation to embrace the natural and neutral chaos of the universe, where meaning ebbs and flows, always shifting just beyond our grasp as intent and casualty happily collide. Though the song is clearly intentional in its design and carefully crafted, it’s unlikely this collaboration aimed to provoke such deep reflection as warranted by this review–but then again, the best songs often do.
“Orion’s Call” is available now on all streaming platforms. Make sure to follow Belly Of The Heart and Alfred. on social media so you can stay up-to-date on their upcoming shows and releases.
