"Zebra" is a song by American dream pop duo Beach House. It was released as the second single off their third studio album, Teen Dream, on April 17, 2010, with an EP of the same name which features a UK radio edit of the song along with new tracks "The Arrangement", "Baby" and a remix of "10 Mile Stereo". The three mentioned tracks were later released on their compilation album B-Sides and Rarities (2017).
"Zebra" was written by lead vocalist Victoria Legrand and guitarist Alex Scally, with production also being handled by them along with Chris Coady. It received positive reviews from music critics.
Consequence of Sound stated the song "grows and grows within the space it is given, and though we are not talking about the epic scale of, say, The Arcade Fire, they are not too far off either." BBC said the song "slaloms to life on a loping, vertiginous riff that keeps sliding sideways when you think you know where itâÂÂs going. Over it, Legrand's vocals ooze like molasses before rising imperiously to deliver a swooning chorus hook-line, about the titular "black and white horse", that Bat for Lashes would kill for." Pretty Much Amazing said the song is "a gorgeous highlight" off its parent album. Zach Schonfeld of PopMatters said "Zebra" remains "one of Teen DreamâÂÂs most irresistible moments, buoyed by yearning vocal sighs and lyrics describing its eponymous "black and white horse arching among us"," as well as commenting on the other tracks of the EP, stating that between the "waltz-like, minor key "Baby" and the lilting, damn near sing-songy "The Arrangement", the latter is the clear highlight," while finishing the review saying the EP is "a worthy encore to an outstanding LP". Impose Magazine said "the track elegantly blossoms into a gorgeous crescendo of oozy voices and crashing cymbals."
The official music video for "Zebra" was directed by Mark Brown and was uploaded to Sub Pop's YouTube channel on May 21, 2010. The video features "reverberating colors, a fiery desert, perhaps, shrouded by smeared yellows and oranges pulsating erratically."
Side A
Side B
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Teen Dream.
Beach House
Additional musicians
Production
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Zebra.
Beach House
Additional musicians
Production
Artwork