Solander - Passing Mt. Satu [ 7 ]

Style: Folk Indie

Country: Sweden

1.Porch Sitting Song 02:11
2.Generations Lost 05:15
3.Flight 04:30
4.The Garden 04:07
5.Tuuli 05:09
6.Book Of Advice 04:00
7.Rhino 03:59
8.Flod 05:19
9.Follow 03:54
10.Huckleberry Finn 03:47




I was just reading some info about this band, and is cataloged has a "pop indie". I often try to avoid the term "pop", it sounds like bubble gum, something you throw way after a bit of chewing, and i chewed a bit on this album, and I still like it, so i will drop the "pop", and just call it "folk indie".

What can you expect from this one ? Like most of the the "folk indie" genre, it has a lot of instruments going around, filling the empty spaces with melodic strings and catchy rhythms. You will find some odd instruments, like ocassional banjo, metallophones, haunting organs, lo-fi hand claps.

A small note on the string section: they really used well the strings (cellist Anja Linna), adding so much depth in each track, a good example is "The Garden" track and "Tuuli". Frederik Karisson's voice is soothing and a makes a good combination with the underlying style of Solander.

Overall: 7
Audio Quality: 7.5

Pros: You find a mixed bag of instruments, creating some fresh sounds

Preview (HQ)
MP3: The Garden

Fanfarlo - Reservoir (2009) [ 7.5 ]

Style: Indie Folk
Country: London

Track Listing:

I'm A Pilot – 4:31
Ghosts – 4:18
Luna – 4:37
Comets – 5:44
Fire Escape – 3:00
The Walls Are Coming Down – 4:15
Drowning Men – 4:16
If It Is Growing – 2:43
Harold T. Wilkins, or How to Wait for a Very Long Time – 4:02
Finish Line – 3:40
Good Morning Midnight – 1:26
Sand & Ice (bonus track) - 4:18

A little introduction:
Fanfarlo are a London-Based Indie Pop band formed in 2006 by the Swedish musician Simon Balthazar and Giles J. Davis.
They started recording this album in 2008 and was produced by Peter Katis (The National, interpol, mercury rev) and it was Released in february 2009.

Reservoir:
Fun Fact: One of the models in the photo is the little sister of Jón Pór Birgisson (Sigur Rós).

What I like best of the Indie genre is the hability to explore new instruments which can create new rhytmic patterns and soundscapes. This album depicts that hability quite well, the drums aren't shy, the violin strings are the backup singer, and you have small details in each song making them unique and nonrepetitive.

When the album ends, you have a feeling that you had a good time listening to it, most of the tracks are strong and uplifting, full of energy. Simon Balthazar (lead singer) carries a great voice, making this album even more impressive and enjoyable.

I'm going to give just a small remark about "Luna": It has a catchy rythm and the constrast between the slow paced vocals and the fast drums make this track one of my favourites. Special atention to "Ghost", "The walls are Coming Down (great chorus)" and "Harold T. Wilkins".

Overall Rating: 7.5
Audio Quality: 8.7

Pros: Uplitfing songs
Cons: Sometimes you don't know what music to listen first

I'm A Pilot by Fanfarlo

Ghosts by Fanfarlo

Luna by Fanfarlo

Buy the Fanfarlo - Reservoir (Vinyl Format) edition in our store