The New Happy (LP)

This is the fifth release (and second album) from Wellington-born psych-pop outfit Glass Vaults.

The New Happy is an exploration of the euphoric sensations associated with Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR).

ASMR, otherwise known as a "brain orgasm," is an aurally triggered euphoric experience characterised by a tingling in the scalp which travels down the neck and spine and The New Happy was specifically mixed to elicit an ASMR effect. "We focused on retaining short high frequency transients and worked on modulating and panning certain sounds to induce goose bumps and shivers when listened through headphones," Smith explains of the record's atmospheric ambiance. "It looks not to emulate a sexual high, but a deeper, euphoric wave, that washes over the body in feelings of comfort and security… a new kind of happy."

Written in the band's Te Aro studio, a light-filled space in a semi-abandoned office building in Wellington NZ's Central Business District, the band set to recording their dreamy pop grooves over three days in the capital city's blue-fronted Blue Barn studios. While Larsen and Pierce both come from a visual/ performing arts background, it has been the fusing of Smiths sonic genius that led to the experimentation with both the emotional and scientific approach to creating glorious music.