Merseyside's latest post-rock quartet, F.O.E.S, are bringing their new progressive sound to the streets of Liverpool, ripping up years old textbooks and rewriting the future of music within the humble city.
With the announcement of 'Ophir', their rather exciting five-track EP due for release 10th February, came the glorious news that they would be embarking on a UK tour commencing also in February and will run through to March.
One track that features on the EP, 'Ningyo', is a mind-bending atmospheric number with soft vocals and haunting instrumental. The chiming beginning lingers in our minds as it unfolds, feeling its way round blackened surroundings of which has been offered to us. Once the vocals start, the track arguably could be a sort of calling, signalling a great buzz to form around the track, ultimately causing a soothing blanket to fall on top of the surface, numbing the guitar and drums, becoming all the more so enchanting. The bewitching effect 'Ningyo' has on the listener inevitably beguiles each and every one of the greater audience to become obsessed with the oppressive tale spun from these talented musicians.
Considering how much F.O.E.S have achieved in such a short amount of time, they're doing incredibly well, the future can only broaden their wide horizons further. Thoroughly looking forward to the response from 'Ophir' next month, The Music Manual had to grab an interview with the guys to find out more behind the scenes!
Can you explain a little about how F.O.E.S journey began?
Jay and I have been in bands together for several years. Chris and Josh were the same...they'd played together for years prior. F.O.E.S was basically an amalgamation of our two previous bands. I'd say we all have very similar tastes and ambitions regarding music. It made sense to start something up.
You're based in Liverpool, what's your opinion on the current music situation in the city?
There's some great bands and awesome venues. Quite a good camaraderie between local acts also. At times it can be a little too close knit though. It's a good place to base a band but its important not to get too comfy in one area alone.
You've just played your last show of 2013 at Korova, Liverpool. Was it a good end to the year?
It was a great end to the year. Along with releasing our most recent single Ningyo, it was our longest headline set to date and we got to debut a couple of new tracks. The response was brilliant.
How do you all warm up for a gig like the one at Korova?
In short, we rehearse the shit out of our sets. Anything else is completely unplanned.
There are many bands springing up right now, who are you liking the sound of?
Even though they've been round for a few years, we're all really big on Arcane Roots. There's definitely room for those guys to be even bigger than they already are. Oh, and Royal Blood. But it already looks like 2014 is going to be their year!
You've recently announced a UK Tour for the new year, are we going to be seeing any changes to your 2013 sets?
No, it's way too soon for any major changes. We've only done five gigs in total after going public in August. Its important that enough people hear this material on the EP before we go pushing anything new on them, especially when most of it is still a work in progress
Something a lot of people will want to ask, how on earth do you all keep your beards looking so immaculate?!
Just ignore mirrors for a while and slap the occasional oil in there
'Ningyo', one of your tracks has just been constructed into video form, did you have any input in creating the video?
Yeah definitely. Jay and I supported My Vitriol in an old band of ours. Their stage show was full of really cool back lighting... Made the band appear more like silhouettes and shadows than actual people, and I guess that's an idea i've always wanted to play on visually. The video for Boxer Rebellion's "Step Out Of The Car" was a good reference too. Lots of similar ideas employed in there.
Where has been the best crowd for you so far?
Where has been the best crowd for you so far?
We were really surprised and humbled by the response we had to our Hacktivist support slot in late November considering how removed we are from those guys. As much as its great and completely invaluable to have a loyal fanbase, nothing quite beats the feeling of winning over a new crowd.
Do you have any obscure facts you can bitch to us about fellow members?
Do you have any obscure facts you can bitch to us about fellow members?
Plenty...
What are your opinions on what the music industry is missing at the moment?
What are your opinions on what the music industry is missing at the moment?
I think many areas of the music industry are in a much better place now than they were a few years back. There's some fantastic bands and releases getting good attention at the moment. That couldn't happen without the right push behind them. My wish would be for the quality of webzines and music journalism to improve. Even on some of the major ones, there's some seriously poor writing, bandwagoning and sensationalism going on.
22nd Feb Kazimier Liverpool
24th Feb Bannerman's Edinburgh
26th Feb Bloc Glasgow
27th Feb Buskers Dundee
28th Feb Kasbah Coventry
1st March Dog & Parrot Newcastle
2nd March Gulliver's Manchester
4th March Dublin Castle London
VOTE FOR US NOW
Don't forget to give The Music Manual a like on facebook! www.facebook.com/themusicmanual and Follow on twitter! www.twitter.com/themusicmanual
0 comments:
Post a Comment