The playfully alliterative of Sleigh Bells' Bunky Becky Birthday Boy title is a symbolic quilt, weaving together endings and beginnings while loosely looping in the band’s own history. “‘Bunky Becky’ was a nickname for Alexis’ dog Riz, who passed away in December 2023. When she passed away, Alexis and I had been talking about writing an anthem for her,” Derek says. “And then Alexis’ son Wilder was born, and he’s the birthday boy. Even though the title sounds a little ridiculous – and it’s totally okay to laugh at it — with a little bit of context, it’s actually life and death. We lost somebody that we love, and we gained somebody that we love.”

The story of Bunky Becky and Roxette Ric evolves in the swaggering “Wanna Start A Band?,” an irresistible collision of glam metal, stabbing synths, vocal whoops, and in-your-face beats. Just as Derek asked Alexis to start a band 17 years ago, “Wanna Start A Band?” finds the duo’s alter egos — Becky and Roxette — forming their creative partnership. On the rager-ready “Badly,” Sleigh Bells roll out a quintessential barn burner anthem in the vein of Beastie Boys’ “Fight For Your Right” and like minded ‘80s jams. Sleigh Bells seal off the record with “Pulse Drips Quiet,” which experiments with rhythm and tone and reflects the duo’s unshakable bond.