This weekend we were eagerly anticipating the return of Team Freshnet’s Sam Bonham to the reviewing post. But yesterday lunchtime an impending bout of lurgy caught up with Sam – who was only able feebly fire off an email to the rest of us before collapsing onto his bed of pain for the rest of the day. Wishing you a speedy recovery, Sam!

But who would be able to review our Fresh Faves at such short notice? Quite literally at the eleventh hour, team stalwart Steff Lane came to the rescue. He sat up listening and writing until 4am this morning to make sure – as a fellow musician himself – that he did full justice to this week’s set of deserving gems. Ladeez’n’Gennlemen: we give you Steff Lane – a proper legend. Thankyou so much!

CHRISTYAN – Inside My Animal

Hailing from Denmark and utilizing a clever combination of sounds over three primary chords (special mention for the Leslie effect or what’s known as a phaser nowadays), Christyan Lundblad has managed to capture the essence of angst that verges on the edge of ‘Post Punk’ yet venturing forward towards a new genre.

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ETCHES – The Charm Offensive

To get a song to gel using all variations over a root note takes some doing. The Charm Offensive manages to do this with a mixture of atmospherics and ‘silent’ mayhem. To achieve a ‘chill out’ with a hard edge – and arrangements that are something to swoon after. Like I say, it takes some doing. Playing Sebright Arms, London 20th Feb // Threshold Festival, Liverpool 29th March.

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MERE MOTHS – You Grew Up

Mere Moths is the work of Patrick Wright. The first dozen notes sets the scene – then the vocals kick in. Just about as minimal as can be, but the end product shines much more brightly than a ‘normal’, full-on production. Way past it’s pupa stage and more butterflies than moths. This is the title track of a new EP to be launched on 20 Feb at the Oh Yeah centre in his native Belfast.

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MITA – I Kill Fireflies

Throw a Church organ, chirping insects and ‘to die for’ harmonies together and what do you get? Well I’m no chef but I suggest that Mita Adesanya has delivered a perfect recipe for your ears and soul to enjoy. Absorb it all in – sheer mood-changing excellence.

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OAKE ADAMS – Sun In The Morning

Am I near water? Yep – and I’m drowning in these beautiful vocals. Oake Adams makes you believe in every word that he sings. Yet another case for keeping it minimal and highlighting your soul – this is truly stunning.

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PASSPORT TO STOCKHOLM – What Have We Done

Lovely acoustic build up with the string sections balancing perfectly with the delicate,minimal,but oh! so effective percussion. These guys can be given a passport to anywhere they wish to go to. The vocals fit perfectly and for a relatively new band (formed in 2012) they are hitting all the right notes at all the right times. Stay tuned! This track comes from their latest EP Chemistry funded by a campaign on PledgeMusic that achieved 186% of its goal.

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THE 1957 TAIL-FIN FIASCO – Cruise Control

Now we’re cruising along the initially hard road – but wait a minute – the road is more winding than first thought. After a few bars the mood changes to a more relaxed theme, yet is as tight as any tune that can survive the bends at high speed. Great tune – with the band in total control. This is the title track of their 4-tracl Cruise Control EP released in October and available via their Bandcamp.

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THE RAILWAY SOCIAL CLUB – Empty Houses

Haunting vocals over jangly guitars with a simple (but so effective) click percussion. As dreamy as any dream can be – full of colours and as vivid as the Peacocks feathers. Sublime purity. They play Oxford a week on Saturday (February 15th) at an unknown venue according to Songkick, the we suspect it might be O’Neills.

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Although the above eight tunes were our readers’ faves this week, a large number of you also liked these five a lot:
CAVAN MORAN – The Ballad Of Gare De L’est
FLASHES – Lush Surrounded
KRISTIN MCCLEMENT – Blackfin Gulls
LUX LISBON – Memento Mori
SCIENCE CAMP – I Go To Funerals

Which is why they also come highly commended for your listening pleasure:

PS from TR: 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…