FERS : Shallow EP
A few years ago, FERS emerged with Neverland - a feather-light dream pop moodpiece that channeled subtly pulsating grooves through lush, washed out harmonies. With the quartet pairing alt-songstress Ferry with former ethereal backgrounds in ene.ce and wyd:syd, its sonic imprint came as no surprise - gorgeously sunkissed and drenched in reverb, the song's purpose felt more evocative of a languid energy than an actual demonstration of impactful songwriting. But paired with a music video directed by high fashion art director/photographer Lenne Chai, its stunning visuals in fact seemed to overpower its sonics. Where Neverland’s impressionism delivered a misty haze on its own, the video rendered its impeccable aesthetics less impactful as a standalone song, reducing it instead to slightly more than an absurdly pretty soundtrack to something like a Love, Bonito ad.
After a long gestation period, the five tracks on FERS' debut don't stray far from this trademark languid haze as well, albeit not at a level as evocative as Neverland. On Wait, a blanket of dancing, pulsating guitars surround upbeat grooves, unveiling gently cascading vocals that reverberate in blanketed layers underneath. It's decidedly well-crafted dream pop - but when they depart this haze for more triumphant modes, the result falls flat. As they shift away from this subdued approach, they lose their sense of aesthetic focus and beauty that potentially served as a distinctive factor for the band.
It's not to say that they don't have enticing qualities. Shallow’s riffs indulge in delay-tinged mystery, while Mermaid features an infectious bass groove that brings its whole to a shimmering build. But these unfortunately all wind up in contrived conclusions, breaking into crescendo-core post rock climaxes that unfortunately now sound five to ten years dated. As the songwriting choices that previously grounded their otherworldly tapestries melt away and conceal themselves in a forced and opaque wall of sound - it feels like wasted potential, with all of its delightful textures and pristine mixing considered.
Holding their refined approach and lyrical worldview, it would be a lie to say that FERS didn't hold immense promise. Sadly at this point, that dreaminess years awaited feels less transportive than a sound unfortunately dated in finely-tuned Strymon pedals. That being said, these crescendos would play perfectly on festival stages!