It was two years ago now that 2012 Bid Adieu released their debut LP. Titled We Died In 2012: This Is Hell, but it’s not unacceptable to think it may have been a more appropriate record to drop one year later. If 2019 was hell, 2020 must be its basement.
It’s also acceptable to be concerned about how 2012 Bid Adieu may be coping. With such a damning statement one year before a worldwide pandemic, surely their attitude to the world around them has taken an almost irreversible dip. Judging by new single “Sanity”, however, this doesn’t seem to be the case. Beginning with a dark, R&B infused bassline, it’s clear to see 2012 Bid Adieu haven’t let a national lockdown keep them from progressing.
The musical flair of their earlier output is here in spades. Like their previous record, the track swerves from one genre to the next, backing its mainstays (hip-hop, jazz and pop) with beautifully pinpointed production and almost Frank Ocean-esque vocals.
The lyrics are just as good, too. Despite claiming to be in hell, frontman Jordan Clark looks up to the sky in his effort to stay sane. “Lord willing, we keep vibing, keep on moving, you know the cost is my sanity”. This, of course, is indicative of 2012 Bid Adieu’s mindset. Rather than be stifled by their current circumstances, the band have chosen instead to keep together, keep creative, keep loud, whilst most of the world have been struggling with the mute button.
It won’t have been easy, for sure, but any hardships were undoubtedly necessary. Any music lover will know that music and creativity can’t just stop. Without it, what are we left with other than the reality of the world around us? 2012 Bid Adieu has already told us we’re living in hell. If we relent on giving up the things that make life worth living, it won’t be long before we start noticing the flames.