Fanfarlo - Fire Escape EP (Atlantic)
4/5
By: Josh Daniel
Fanfarlo (from our beloved London) are back with a re-release of 2007 single ‘Fire Escape’, plush with new remixes and fresh from featuring their song ‘Atlas’ in the new (surprisingly popular) Twilight movie.
The original song still stands strong by itself, a heartfelt ditty to joyous despair, with an English chamber pop arrangement that is tense enough to veer comfortably away from twee territory. To say it is anachronistic would be only vaguely unfair. Mentions of “cruel” winters, and lives mistaken hold more weight than your average alternative group, and although the vocal never quite takes off, leaving it hung in mid-range, the delivery suits the floaty, ethereal surroundings rather nicely.
The remixes added to this new release are the silver lining to any thoughts of nonsensical noughties nostalgia. David Sitek’s delightfully minimalist and bouncy re-working will doubtless be enjoyed by TV on the Radio fans as there’s more than an echo of ‘Golden Age’ present, but it’s Toro Y Moi’s more danceable, house oriented remix (more reminiscent of his other project Lessins) which more immediately grabs the attention. Rather than merely embellishing the template, he gives it a new dimension with the addition of some DFA1979 basslines and swathes of French house, Fred Falke style, all to marvellous effect.
What I can’t make my mind up on however, is Tom Furse’s (The Horrors) remix. Undoubtedbly it is the only remix (also the longest at 8 minutes) on this EP that has really moved me, when in one off guard moment on the train home, the dour, repeating reverb swells turned all the half glazed after-work commuter stares into pangs of unimaginable regret and longing. You’d never know it was a Fanfarlo remix, and for some more atmospherically inclined listeners, this might not be a bad thing at all.
Open-minded Fanfarlo fans should welcome this lovely little EP, itself an enjoyable little cross section of modern indie.
Artists in this article: Fanfarlo
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