Dreamy and surreal, Faunts new EP Leave Here Alone has echoing guitars and a wispy airiness to the vocals. The songs have a darkness to them, an ethereal, hypnotic haze like the reflection of sound in a foggy canyon during the wee hours of the morning. You don’t know where it’s coming from, and it’s…
Tag: friendly fire recordings
Mirel Wagner: No Death (Video)
I am not typically one to enjoy music videos that merely show a band performing their work, but “No Death” by Mirel Wagner is something else entirely. Featuring Wagner plucking her guitar, the video is as simple as they come; what sets it apart is the darkness. Barely lit, barely moving, she performs. Her song…
Regina: Unessa MP3
Friendly Fire Recordings has always been good about seeking out and introducing the states (i.e. the U.S.) to great foreign artists. Their latest introduction is that of Finnish electro-pop band Regina. We discovered the band a number of years ago — they’ve been around for quite a while — thanks to a handful of releases…
Elk City: Jerks On Ice [mp3]
I recall enjoying Elk City‘s last release, but boy do I dig “Jerks On Ice”, the band’s new single off the upcoming House Of Tongues. Again the band combines traits common to folk, pop and even jazz for a sound unique with a hint of contemporary and a fair share of originality. “Jerks On Ice”…
Oh No Ono: Swim [Video]
Danish experimental psychedelic pop group Oh No Ono recently signed to Friendly Fire Recordings for their upcoming release Eggs. The first single is “Swim” and its accompanying video is one part disturbing and another inspirational. Featuring a young boy (what an eerie resemblance to the boy in The Shining!) who acts as the observer of…
Camphor: Castaway [Video]
Your first impression of Camphor‘s latest video may simply be that it seems slightly childish. I mean, the thematic elements behind the “Castaway” video include pirates via toys. Despite the somewhat childish Lego-like element, this video with an actual cast would be horrid. But with the toys it works just fine; in fact, add the…
David & The Citizens: David & The Citizens
This self-titled EP by David & The Citizens may have preceded Until The Sadness Is Gone only by a few short months, but the debut extended play holds definite traces of an earlier, less mature group. One would think the short amount of time would leave little room change—yet the songs found encased here vary…
The Phenomenal Handclap Band: You’ll Disappear
The Phenomenal Handclap Band mixes synth-heavy dance vibes with traces of experimentation. The combination is somewhat psychedelic, partially disco, and entirely awesome. “You’ll Disappear” encompasses all these traits, and drops in audibly pleasing harmonic female-based vocals. Initially one thinks of School Of Seven Bells, but The Phenomenal Handclap Band is less electronic and beat heavy,…
David & The Citizens: Until The Sadness Is Gone [Album Review]
It appears this little album by David & The Citizens was originally released in 2003 under the BMG Music Publishing Scandinavia label and was licensed to Friendly Fire via Adrian Recordings in Sweden. It is good to know the history of an album—the roads it has traveled to reach its current destination here in my…
The Whitsundays: The Whitsundays [Album Review]
How surprising is it that the name of The Whitsundays’ keyboardist is Doug Organ? Then again, the jokes that could be made are put to rest when Organ steps up to his vintage instrument—his ability to channel the 60s greats like Rod Argent [The Zombies] and Ray Manzarek [The Doors] is stunning, stemming beyond the…
