FAINT WAVES

As I’ve mentioned in prior posts on the site, I finally got to re-team with Eclectics for a new release this year. Me and Eclectics go way back, our first outing was all the way back in 2018 (Paradise Lost), which was many years ago now. Nevertheless, we’re back now, and it’s with the newly released Bird Of Paradise.

Title track, Bird Of Paradise, is a warm and driving dose of tropical Synthpop. Reflecting on it now, it’s a good window into my musical predilections; shades of Melcher-era Beach Boys, A Vision Of Panorama, and Enigma. Catchy synth-marimbas and sparing shaku hits dance atop shimmering pads, buoyed by simple but effective fretless bass action. All of this with a panoramic New Age nature backdrop. I didn’t intend for it to be but this is pretty Faint Waves Classic flavor.

B-Side, The Deepest Blue, is a jazzier inversion of the title track. The tune ratchets up the tempo a bit and has the groove to match, but it’s more exotica-tinged. A synthetic vibraphone melody flows like water over a bed of sparkling pads, while aquatic clanging and whirls of synthesizer punctuate the tune. The second half finds a distant flute and a howling loon joining the proceedings. Iberian exotica if you’ve ever heard it, or something like that.

Things take a turn for the deep and mellow when the “Lounge” mixes roll around. These alternate mixes trade the tropical kitsch for ambient piano and nylon guitar, crafting an entirely different sonic feel. Bird Of Paradise has been re-imagined from the ground up, echoing the early 90’s work of Yello (“Capri Calling”) and Dancing Fantasy (“Beyond The Horizon”). The Deepest Blue follows suit, albeit with its own unique identity, featuring newly added bongos and ethereal vox samples. It was fun tapping into that chilled out, 90’s Lounge, New Age, Fusion vibe. The whole thing was really enjoyable to produce and while it took some trial and error, it came together pretty seamlessly when all was said and done. Really happy with how it turned out, glad to be back on the Eclectics label, and thrilled it’s out there for anyone and everyone to enjoy.

Paradise, forever.

Bird Of Paradise is out now on Bandcamp and Juno, courtesy of Eclectics. Bird Of Paradise will arrive everywhere else, digital and streaming, on 9/30.