The Fauns share new single & video "Shake Your Hair" taken from their new album 'How Lost' out Jan 19th via Invada.
Live dates this week.
With their first album in a decade, 'How Lost' out this Friday, Jan 19th, via Invada, Bristol-based ensemble, The Fauns, are today sharing their new single & video "Shake Your Hair".
The band are also set to play three Rough Trade instores this week in London, Bristol & Nottingham.
On the new single, the band said
"The Fauns wander into a BDSM club. Lyrically darker than usual but vague as is our way. This track came together after a viewing of 'Dogs Don’t Wear Pants' directed by Jukka-Pekka Valkeapää (a beautiful but difficult watch, highly recommended)."
The Fauns’ journey began in 2007, self-releasing their eponymous debut album in 2009, followed by the 2013 release of "Lights." These two works garnered warm acclaim from both critics and fervent shoegaze-loving fanbase alike - arriving into an atmosphere rekindled by the return of My Bloody Valentine.
Reflecting on their earlier work, Michael Savage shares:
"Listening back, the first album serves as a diary chronicling our evolution from utter novices in the recording process to becoming proficient. The second album signified a solidification of The Fauns sound. I try my best to remain partially idiotic about recording. The idiosyncrasy is part of our sound; we're not aiming for excessive polish."
Throughout the 2010s, the band toured relentlessly across Europe, sharing the stage with Creation label act The Telescopes for a number of shows. A European support tour with French doomgazers Alcest broadened The Fauns' reach, and during this period they recorded sessions for BBC Radio 6 Music and XFM, even winning Steve Lamacq's coveted rebel playlist accolade.
The creation of their third album "How Lost," unfolded gradually over the subsequent years, led by three original members: Michael Savage, Alison Garner, and Guy Rhys Davies. In 2019, accomplished soundtrack composer Will Slater joined the band, catalyzing an intensified period of songwriting. The push and pull between Savage and Slater’s recording styles producing interesting and unique results.
This latest album bridges The Fauns' transformation from their earlier incarnation to their current evolution. The tracks traverse a spectrum of styles, ranging from intricate, guitar-driven sci-fi fantasies to industrial-tinged new wave compositions. The hallmark shoegaze elements are now stretched over gritty pulsating electro beats.
Savage explains their creative direction, stating,
"We were determined not to tread familiar ground with the third album. We consciously chose to veer away from shoegaze conventions, infusing our music with elements of electro and disco. It's been a delicate balancing act, but we think it works nicely.”
Moreover, the album marks a shift in lyrical themes and attitude. Poignant tracks coexist with narratives of vodka-infused nights in dimly lit clubs, reflecting a departure from introspection.
"This album is less about the melancholy associated with the genre and more about getting our audience dancing.”
The Fauns live dates:
19th Jan - Rough Trade East, London (Tickets)
20th Jan - Rough Trade, Bristol (Tickets)
21st Jan - Rough Trade, Nottingham (Tickets)