Staying faithfully true to its title, the latest album "Further Than My Fear" from the duo Firewoodisland wholeheartedly encapsulated the relevant theme of getting past one's fears, no matter how tough the going gets. Teeming with unfiltered lyricisms and gripping performances, it's justifiable to say this album is a down-to-earth, yet profound compilation of tracks that has crucial wisdom to impart with its narrative songwriting. Here's more about the talented pair and their latest project!
Composed of two proficient singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists, Firewoodisland has steadily moved up the ranks and established themselves as seasoned artists in the indie-folk circuit. Formerly a solo venture under Stian Vedøy (hailing from Norway), who moved to the UK to pursue a music production course. The one-man project then grew into a band when Abi Eleri, who was learning illustrations, joined the project; years later, they have numerous feats on their resume, from millions of listeners having streamed their music to noteworthy placements on TV like Gray's Anatomy and MTV shows. Various eminent outlets such as BBC Radio, Clash Mag, Wonderland, and others have given consistent support— a resounding testament to their ever-growing repute.
Their cumulative efforts are entirely independent— from the eye-catching and colorful art pieces adorning the singles down to the brass tacks of music-making are solely handled by the alias. Having made Bristol their abode, Firewoodisland has branded their musical signature as "Mountain Pop": inspired by the genre headliners such as Bon Iver and RY X. It's a marriage of electronica and naturalistic folk, a unique trademark that has helped carve out a distinct and thriving niche in the scene.
It would be unjust to condense the totality of their expansive discography into few words, albeit some prominent releases impressed us: their debut Simon (2014) is a vibrant and Celtic folk tune bound to cheer up downbeat listeners. Moving forward, Dome (2016) has a similar design with stadium-sized claps reverberating through the instrumental, as the atmospheric vocals are coupled with cinematic drums. More recently, "Wide Wide Space" (with Becky Green) contains resonant, undulating pianoforte with mellifluous performances.
"Further Than My Fear" is an assortment of singles released prior, now given a collective meaning. The album opener "Looking For Love" is comfortingly heartening, with vocals encouraging one to love oneself and let go the burdens of past mistakes (as penned in the main chorus "You're looking for love now//Your value isn't based on your mistakes"). It reaches a beautiful crescendo with a rich medley of strings, brass, and even recurring doo-wop-like syllables, taking an upbeat turn in the final act. "Untamed" follows after, a stripped-back rendition that relies on abstract electronica sound design (such as glitchy synthesized textures) with mellow, gentle vocal duet: ultimately teeming with tender and romantic moments.
More admirable experiments are exhibited in tracks like "Hello Friend Again," which combines the efficacy of richly layered, auto-tuned vocals professing the misery inflicted by a broken heart--- accompanied by equally sentimental pianoforte. Then there's the uptempo "Let It Out" which is utterly motivational in its bearing, complete with a striding, frolicking groove and encouraging vocal renditions (Let it out//Louder and stronger than what you have done). Cosmic journeys are made in "Shuttle Astronaut," as the vocals sketch an interstellar and unbreakable romance over a buoyant Americana rock-style number. The titular track "Farther Than My Fear" interestingly comes toward the end, a supple and intimate tune that soothes with unadulterated, impactful vocals elevated by gradually escalating and sublime harmony of instruments.
Listen to "Further Than My Fear" on Spotify and stay tuned with Firewoodisland's and their upcoming music on Instagram.
Comments