OPM: Future Folk

Victor Fernandes – Hide in the Shadows of the Quiet

Complex and unusual take on indie rock that pulls in elements of jazz, classical, pop and more into poignant and clever songs. This is a deep release that engages with lots of different influences and then thoroughly synthesizes the output. You might hear moments recalling the earnest croon of Death Cab, or the hazy Americana of R.E.M. 

At the same tim, the baroque arrangements that lean in the direction of chamber pop suggest other things entirely. In the end, it’s doing its own thing and nothing else. If you like your indie rock/pop sophisticated, smart and full to the brim with ideas and fresh approaches, this is worth a listen. 

(Listened to the entire album)

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Kindness Inc. – “Give Kindness”

Leftfield folk hop (yes, that’s a folk take on hip hop) with an uplifting message and corresponding musical vibe. A lyric about the importance of kindness; a bouncy/chirpy beat and an unrelentingly positive energy drives this forward. 

It’s certainly a distinctive take on beat programming for hip hop, leaning into both pop and folk tropes more than typical boom bap beats. Will you dig it? It won’t take more than 3 minutes of your time to find out!

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Avi C Engel – Mote

Delicate, gossamer folk with some intriguing arrangements and an approach that defies easy categorization. Built around the gorgeous lilting voice of Engel, with acoustic guitar as the primary instrument, these songs are straightforward at the core, but quite unusual in their specifics. 

A variety of other instruments and some careful production creates a layered, organic musical bed to support the songs. Poetic and evocative lyrics wrap around these musical structures in breathy, almost-not-there vocals. Swells of strings, slips of pedal steel, the odd little percussion loop animate these songs, ensuring there’s always another small surprise to be found.

(Listened to the entire album)

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The Occupier – “Toadly Ossum (Fireworks Remix)”

Synths-and-samples instrumental with strong Halloween vibes and a goofy, off-kilter energy. A thereminesque lead (maybe just a sine synth played legato with some portamento) wends its way thru the whole song, refusing to settle as the tune percolates around it.

Raw synth oscillations, weird samples, a few repeating motifs are the key elements of that beat, with an unusual arrangement and mix, which sees the main riff fade off to almost nothing before storming back in to take center stage. Minimal, spoopy and fun.

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Taylor Nuttall – “Dark Space part 1 & 2 (Live)”

Two tracks of ambient drone and soundscape performed/improvised live and accompanied by spacey visuals. The first part starts off relatively inviting – warm and spaced out, with drones running into each other and the interesting timbral and textural shifts keeping things lively. 

The second track delves a little further into the dark, embracing some more abrasive textures, sudden blurts of sound, a recurrent arpeggiated sequence, and at-times harsh tones. The two make for nice companion pieces, with the first acting as an invitation and the second deepening the mystery and taking us into some darker territory. 

(Listened to the entire album)

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