The Below and Jesper Hanning team up to creep you out with their dark and disturbing new single and video Heebie-Jeebies Süssigkeit — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
Featuring vocalist Hanning — best known for his work with Swedish cult bands The Chainsaw Zombies and Ausgang Verboten — Heebie-Jeebies Süssigkeit builds on the sonic structures established in the duo’s previous effort, last year’s single Knives and Heights b/w Grind Me Down. Dark harmonies, combined with extensive utilisation of scrap metal and other found objects, create a harsh and eerie atmosphere, serving as a backdrop for Hanning’s powerful vocals. This invites the listener into an unsettling yet simultaneously captivating experience. Meanwhile, the lyrics explore our various facades, highlighting how each individual possesses thoughts and emotions not always apparent to others.
The life and actions of John Wayne Gacy serve as an extreme example, illustrating the extent to which a person can conceal integral aspects of themselves. The accompanying video for Heebie-Jeebies Süssigkeit is a visually arresting creation, expertly directed and filmed by Anders Larsson at Good Evening Pasadena! It features a riveting performance by Hanning, who explains: “In the video, I deliberately peel back the layers of my civilized facade to reveal something raw, less refined, and perhaps more unsettling.”
With Hanning’s distinguished vocal prowess and artistic depth, Heebie-Jeebies Süssigkeit promises to be a thought-provoking and haunting addition to The Below’s body of work, exploring the enigmatic depths of human psychology through music and visuals.
The Below is the brainchild of Bo Magnusson, a versatile sound engineer and bass player from the Swedish industrial outfit Dr. Evil & The Boys From Below. Magnusson and his band garnered a strong local following with their unforgettable stage performances, featuring eccentric props like pig skulls, levitating washing machines, and a cacophony of scrap metal. After a prolonged hiatus following the disbandment of Dr. Evil & The Boys From Below in 1992, Magnusson dusted off forgotten instruments and salvaged objects in 2015, forging new industrial sounds under the alias of The Below.
The Below’s journey since then has produced six singles that reflect his sonic evolution, gradually transitioning from an obscure and unconventional soundscape to a more accessible but still experimental realm. As The Below continues to push the boundaries of his music, each release is a testament to the evolution of sound, vision, and creativity. Magnusson’s dedication to innovation and his fearless exploration of unconventional sounds are at the core of his captivating sonic journey.
On the later releases, The Below has cultivated notable collaborations, adding depth and dimension to the sonic explorations. His partnership with Aaron Sutcliffe has yielded powerful and politically charged singles, such as No Place is Safe and Artificial Lights (Dystopian Haze) — shedding light on complex issues of conflict and injustice. His collaborations with Hanning introduced a captivating vocal dynamic, adding new infectious spectrums to his dark and experimental soundscapes.
Watch Heebie-Jeebies Süssigkeit above, hear more from The Below below, and follow him on Instagram and Facebook.
