Daughters Of Saint Crispin cut loose on “See You In Space”

The brooding post-punk duo’s new single is a danceable wonder.

Post-punk duo Daughters Of Saint Crispin—vocalist Pete Leonard and vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Russell Emerson Hall—frequently surprise listeners. On June 14, the duo released See You In Space, a three-track expanded single that further demonstrates their knack for the unexpected. See You In Space emphatically shifts the band’s stylistic template, and pushes the duo’s creative boundaries in enticing ways. Made up of the core single, “See You In Space,” a three-minute radio edit, and an extended harsh ambient mix, the release treads new-ish ground for the band.

Most immediately evident: “See You In Space” is a highly danceable single, distinguishing it from virtually every other Daughters Of Saint Crispin track (with the possible exception of their deeply unexpected and mildly unhinged cover of “I Wish It Was Christmas Today,” released just in time for the holidays in 2021). See You In Space is also the first time the band has packaged the same song into a release since incorporating two versions of “Ex-Spies” into their three-track 2019 debut.

On “See You In Space,” Leonard and Hall shed the dour musical tendencies that dominate their original material (“Ex-Spies” being an excellent reference point), and adjust listeners’ most likely instinctive physical response in the process. Instead of slow, solemn head-nodding, the track demands hip-swinging and foot-tapping, as both Hall and Leonard playfully cut loose in their respective roles. Hall handles the bulk of the release’s instrumentation and production. Guitars, bass, synth, and backing vocals are all attributed to Hall on the release, in addition to programming, engineering, mixing, and mastering. Leonard’s contributions are listed as “Inspiration, guidance, and direction,” along with lead vocals, “radio vocals,” and “text message.”

Leonard and Hall split lyrical responsibilities on “See You In Space.” The former contributed the verse lyrics, and Hall the chorus. Despite that split, the pair’s sensibilities are harmonious and remain fixed on generally dispiriting subject matter. “I look in your eyes / They are dead / They look like mine,” drawls Leonard in the song’s first verse, underscoring the narrative’s defeatist impulses. “I’ll prop you up / I’ll push you down / I’ll smash my head / Into the ground,” goes a similarly bleak chorus. And despite the heaviness, an optimism punctures “See You In Space,” creating a safeguard for the track’s honest communication of misery.

The half-latent optimism comes via Hall’s adept instrumental work throughout the track, which evokes Daughters Of Saint Crispin’s post-punk, new-wave, and even dance-punk forebears. (“See You In Space” is as reminiscent of The Cure as it is Gang Of Four.) The bubbling synth figure that opens “See You In Space,” the razor-sharp lead guitar riff that cuts up the verse sections, a driving, disco-aping, hi-hat-heavy drumbeat, and rock-solid bass work all work in tandem to imbue the track with a larger-than-life feeling. All of those qualities—along with an anthemic chorus—are more than enough to balance out the track’s narrative doldrums. 

“See You In Space” is a bold artistic statement from the duo, who emphasize the track’s impact with a radio edit version (which trims out instrumental sections to reduce the track’s runtime by 100 seconds), and a sprawling harsh ambient mix that extends to nearly nine minutes. While the core single is the true star on the release, the harsh ambient mix stands out as a world unto itself. Droning and sustained, the harsh ambient mix, more than the principal track itself, relays the vast, open expanse of space. Awed and awing, it’s a perfect end-cap to an important moment in Daughters Of Saint Crispin’s discography. As it stretches out and gently unfurls for what feels like infinity, “See You In Space (Harsh Ambient Mix)” becomes an unlikely exclamation. Even as Hall and Leonard continue to explore the outer limits of their craft, it’s exceedingly clear that Daughters Of Saint Crispin is locked in and here to stay.

Daughters Of Saint Crispin perform at The Bur Oak on Friday, August 2. The Crux Of The Anima, Corridoré, and Brian Grimm constitute the bill’s remainder. See You In Space can be downloaded from the band’s Bandcamp for a price of your choosing.