Another week, another batch of brand, spanking new music. This weeks publicly picked Fresh Faves include the most eclectic mix of genre-defying pieces of music that you’ll find on any what’s hot list out there on the interweb and it’s been a pleasure to delve a little deeper into each artists background. It seems the FOTN web is an ever expanding one, this week taking in submissions from artists based in Seattle and Rotterdam, a doctor who plays music by night and a producer and songwriter who recently managed to crowd-fund his sophomore album through Pledge Music. If that’s not an inspiring cross section of emerging artists…I don’t know what is.
ECHOPARK – Teleportation
Teleportation is an apt name for our first taste of London based Italian lo-fi producer Echopark. Mainly because his hazy brand of electro pop, all reverberating harmonies and picked acoustic guitar layered over subtle electronic elements, has the ability to trasport listeners away from the snow covered mid-winter nightmare currently entombing most of the country to a barmy summer evening, sipping cider in a park. The first single from his debut LP due out on April 15th, we can’t wait to see what Echopark, aka Antonio Elia Forte, has up his baggy sleeves when his full length drops next month.
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FAMILIAR CREATURES – Aside From It All
The raucous clatter of drums and trumpet trills of Aside From It All by Familiar Creatures conjure up memories of early Guillemots or Jack Penate. The boy-girl vocals and driving rhythms propel the listener forward whilst the swirling bass line has a hypnotising quality.
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GREENHORNBLUEHORN – The Wind
Hailing from various corners of the U.S but currently residing in Seattle, brothers Brent & Chris Antal and their bandmates James Fairchild and Shane Macdonald, make the kind of timeless folk-rock that could easily originate from any of the last five decades. Their pulsating beats and lilting acoustic guitars are complimented by pitch perfect harmonies and carefully constructed guitar melodies. This track is taken from the band’s debut, self-titled five track EP, released earlier this month.
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PETER AND THE KIBBUTZNIK – Be Over
From classic folk infused rock to weird production and layer upon layer of synths and clicking guitar notes, it’d be very easy to go off on a rant here about how great the eclecticism of FOTN is. I’ll resist the urge in favour of praising the production value on this offering from Kent’s Peter & The Kibbutznik. This electro duo only formed late last year but have already picked up plays on Radio 1 and 6Music (courtesy of our very own Tom Robinson). One listen to their debut EP is enough to demonstrate how quickly this band is developing, moving slickly away from furious techno noise to intricate lo-fi electro. All of above seems to suggest that 2013 will be a very big year for Peter and the Kibbutznik.
SEACOLES – Heart
There is nothing more frustrating that a band with a difficult name to google. Have you ever tried to find anything by Liverpool’s Bird through google? Whilst I was intrigued to read the Wikipedia entry to Mary Seacole, it wasn’t exactly an enlightening insight into the female five piece Seacoles (who also recently changed their name from Kaiho which probably didn’t help), who recently moved from Edinburgh to London (thanks facebook for shedding some light on that!). Luckily for the quintet, their music largely speaks for itself, husky lead vocals backed by glorious three part harmonies that build towards a euphoric chorus. There are hints of Imogen Heap and Beirut on this track which can only be a good thing so here’s to hoping is a signal of intent from the band and that there is plenty more to come from Seacoles.
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SKINNY DREAM – Crush
Having only formed in January, brothers James, Dan and Luke alongside drummer Kieran are already proving how productive they can be whilst still making music with a sense of nonchalance. Operating under the moniker Skinny Dream, Crush is the four-piece’s first track to be released ahead of forthcoming EP Crushing and it’s a bruising slice of shoegaze brilliance. Layer upon layer of gain-heavy, shimmering guitars topped off by the kind of melancholic vocals…and they haven’t even played a gig yet.
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SUKH – Kings
It’s very, very hard to impress Team Freshnet with acoustic based folk tinged pop songs. I’m not saying it can’t be done. Just that to come up with something new or original in a format as old as the sea is not impossible but certainly impractical. So when a track stands out amongst minimal techno productions and growling guitar licks for the use of beautiful melodies and delicately strummed acoustic guitar, we know it’s something special. This offering from Manchester’s Sukhdeep Krishan, Sukh for short, is written, performed and produced by the artist alone and employs country, folk and americana elements with melodies that have a habit of embedding themselves on the inside of your brain, though considering by day Sukh is a doctor, he’s probably got a cure for that affliction too.
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TAMARA WOESTENBURG (feat. BENJAMIN HERMAN) – How I miss you
This could be Rotterdam or anywhere, Liverpool or Rome…but no actually it’s just Rotterdam and Dutch freak-pop songstress Tamara Woestenburg. Tamara professes a love for Radiohead and PJ Harvey alongside more accessible songwriters like Jeff Buckley and Nick Drake, a fact that’s demonstrated in How I Miss You. An age of sentiment retold through minimal instrumentation and Tamara’s haunting and dynamic vocals. There’s an ambience throughout that allow the song to flow smoothly without pausing for breath.
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THE ANDROID ANGEL – Distant Star
Paul Coltofeanu aka The Android Angel is half-English, half-Romanian, a multi-instrumentalist and a firm favourite of Team Freshnet. This track, taken from Paul’s fourth album Lie Back And Think Of England was reportedly written in various European locations making it every bit as eclectic and multi-faceted as the music that he makes under the Android Angel moniker. Heavy guitar and pounding drums all complimented by Coltofeanu’s sweet vocal melodies combine here to create an anthemic, fists-in-air piece of rock music.
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THE LITTLE UNSAID – Midnight On An Island
And the prize for our favourite artist name of the week goes to London based producer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter John Elliot for his solo project The Little Unsaid. This is the first single from his second album that was fittingly released on Friday after being funded through Pledge Music. In the modern music market there is nothing better than having the balls and positive attitude to make something happen yourself and having reached over 140% of his original target through Pledge, let’s hope that John’s income will help him to continue making the beautiful music he’s currently producing, combining found sounds and samples over acoustic guitar and Elliot’s mesmerising vocals.
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This week’s Fresh Faves
reviewed by Chris Chadwick
FROM TOM: If you’ve submitted a track that hasn’t made the Fresh Faves you’re welcome to re-submit it again. But if you have been a Fresh Fave in recent weeks could you possibly hold back for at least six weeks before sending us another one. If you keep sending us great tracks every week it leaves less room for new names who haven’t had a chance yet…
