10/09/2015 – Fresh Snow-Proper Burial (2015)

Canadian quartet create something that pushes forward, while looking back

Like any decent striker knows, when one on one with a goal keeper, you fake left, and when the keeper dives, you side step right and slot it in the bottom corner, like a pro. This is exactly what Fresh Snow have done on come back track Proper Burial.

After the initial salvo of industrial tones you expect Proper Burial to get heavier and heavier as it progresses, and just when you’re flinching due to the attack on your senses, it easies off, and a delicate vocal enters the mix, thanks to Carmen Elle, and the industrial motif disappears. After a few bars there is a slight dip in intensity, then the industrial melody is back in spades, but this time Elle’s vocals kick in too. The juxtaposition of an escaping gas sounding synth and Elle’s ethereal vocals doesn’t just give you goose bumps. The real highlight is three quarters through the song when the violin plays a raising scale, then drops back into a surging bass run with the synth firing on all cylinder in the background until the songs logical conclusion.

While this is amazing, forward thinking music, not just production, but composition wise, it isn’t anything. As soon as the vocals kick in it oozes Broadcast and Stereolab, but with a funk bass controlling the whole thing. Again in football terms, like a midfield general controlling traffic and giving orders. The Andy Lloyd’s bass does all that, while maintaining that same Dave Hedges sound and rhythm throughout.

The WON EP is set to drop September 11^th on hand Drawn Dracula, and features Damian Abraham as well as Elle on guest vocals. Don’t mess about, get a copy of this now, as it will sell out and you don’t want to have to mix with touts. This is mainly because they carry scrofula and are generally out for a quick buck, so get it while you can!