When my friend posted a song by an artist called "They Are Gutting a Body of Water" on their Instagram story, I was more intrigued by the band name than the music itself. You can’t deny the eye-catching band name, but the music this curiosity led me to was perhaps even more bizarre.
They Are Gutting a Body of Water is an up-and-coming group from Philadelphia. Their recently reissued 2019 album, Destiny XL, is a genre-bridging exhibition of everything the band has to offer. Each track melds together a variety of genres like swirling shoegaze on “Texas Instruments,” hyperpop interludes like “Mother Plus,” and menacing punk-adjacent movements like “A Wasp Appears.”
Even though the album is brief—clocking in at only 26 minutes—it is easy to lose yourself in the depth of the production. Destiny XL oscillates between surrounding guitar noise, collages of beats, and seemingly disparate sounds. A standout track is “Double Apple;” the noisy first half gives way to modulated vocals breaking through the guitars, providing a savvy fusion of shoegaze and hyperpop sounds.
Even though They Are Gutting a Body of Water might be relatively underground, Destiny XL is an album that deserves your attention. With its boldly experimental yet enthralling sound, you’re bound to return for many repeat listens.
Connor Henry is a freshman in the SFS, planning on studying Science, Technology, and International Affairs.