Esther & Fatou - Silverbacks - The Ophelias
Background - Belgian duo Esther & Fatou release new single Home, a captivating and dreamy folk-pop track, perfectly tuned-in for long upcoming summer evenings. Written over the course of last summer, it’s the follow up to their wintery debut single At Night.
Introduced by galloping percussion and a beguiling piano pattern, Home soon bursts into an addictive chorus replete with trademark rootsy instrumentation and symphonic production, without losing focus on the chemistry between each half of the duo. This is the key tenant to their sound, the hauntingly beautiful harmonies and the way their pin-point vocals play off of one another.
“‘Home’ recounts a response to a confrontational situation”, Esther & Fatou explain, “In a state of complete disbelief, we are trying to escape the things we can’t handle. There’s nowhere to process, there’s only the road. Searching for some peace of mind.”
Once again produced by Isbells mastermind Gaetan Vandewoude and mixed by Staf Verbeeck (dEUS, Hooverphonic, Selah Sue) Home showcases a different, warmer side to Esther and Fatou’s dreamy Americana. FACEBOOK.
Back in November of last year we stated "Esther & Fatou have merged together natural folk sensibilities with dream pop and the resulting song is lush and beautiful." Now we have 'Home' our second feature from the duo, and it's a vibrant and more energised piece, where once again the vocals are outstanding and beautiful.
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Background - Dublin art-punks Silverbacks stomp back into action in 2018 with the release of their new single produced by Girl Band’s Daniel Fox 'Dunkirk' on June 15th through their own PK Miami Records.
“The song is about a character who is questioning the life they have been dealt,” Silverbacks explain. “They find themselves in a near dystopian future where Dunkirk, despite its history, has become a built-up holiday destination for young families.”
Underpinned by an insistent, nagging bassline and creepy crawly guitar lines, it provides the ideal vehicle for frontman Daniel O’Kelly’s stream of consciousness ramblings about martial strife, the perfect sandcastle and spotting a con artist when he sees one. Produced by Girl Band’s Daniel Fox, the track lurches forth, pressure building from the undulating backbeat and layers of skronking guitars accenting Daniel’s increasingly frazzled yelps before finally collapsing into a sugar sweet coda. Indie kids no more, Silverbacks mean business and ‘Dunkirk’ is a powerful first move. The single is accompanied by a brilliantly creative video from Belgian graphic designer and artist Cameron Francis Taylor.
Hailing from Dublin, Silverbacks are a thrilling prospect, delivering their own louche take on NYC-indebted rock: slack enough for the tastemakers while also mining the gems of a pop vein, catching the ears of those with a taste for a good hook. Now a full-fledged five piece after graduating from the bedroom project of songwriting brothers Kilian and Daniel O’Kelly, they ply their trade with as much emphasis on the dry humour running through Daniel’s lyrics as the propulsive, triple guitar-led onslaught in their music. TWITTER.
A hypnotic rhythm and determined vocals are centre stage on 'Dunkirk' a driving and stripped back rocker. The song gains some extra energy along the way and those punk influences are never far away.
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Background - The Ophelias shares new single "General Electric". Through a blend of understated rock, baroque pop and wide-skied atmospheres, The Ophelias explore the juxtapositions of youth on their album, Almost.
Having formed the band while still in high school, bassist Grace Weir, guitarist/lyricist Spencer Peppet, percussionist Micaela Adams, and violinist Andrea Gutmann Fuentes first met at a time when each were independently serving as the “token girl” in various dude-bands from their hometown of Cincinnati, OH. Coming from varied musical backgrounds (ranging from garage-rock, to surf, to opera), the distinct talents and influences of each member collided in unexpected ways at the band’s first rehearsal. It was here the band discovered that their chemistry wasn’t rooted in a shared musical reference point, but in the creative relief from the expected censorship of being a sideperson.
“In the past we had all kind of been the ‘girl in the band,’ in some capacity,” Peppet said. “Having a band of all women eradicates that possibility logistically, but also makes for a really creative environment without the patronization that often comes along with being the ‘girl in the band.’”
Produced by Yoni Wolf (WHY?), the new album Almost glides between palatial assuredness and pallid introspection, looking back on youthful yearning — the uncertainties, the traumas, the anxieties — without discounting its soft beauty. The Ophelias steer Almost through the lineage of coming-of-age confessionals, and affectionately document their growth into a warm, fractured adulthood. TWITTER.
Tour Dates:
07/16 Los Angeles, CA – Moroccan
07/19 Seattle, WA – Fremont Abbey
07/20 Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios
07/22 San Francisco, CA – Swedish American Hall
Less than a month since we first featured The Ophelias, they are back with 'General Electric'. Once again the vocals and harmonies are sophisticated and beautiful, the musical arrangement drives the piece along at a steady pace and the catchy nature of the track soon begins to work it's charm.
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