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Music

Firs- Sweet Nothings

Firs is the moniker of Adelaide multi-instrumentalist Alister Douglas (who you might remember from his other kickass project Blush Response). Firs is an enchanting reflection of dreamy 1980’s synth-pop with woozy synths and blurry vocals. Since being enticed out of his bedroom studio in early 2013, Firs has supported the likes of Moon Holiday, Shady Lane, Wintercoats, Rainbow Chan and Swimming.

firsYou may remember Alister Douglas from his work as Blush Response. Now, he’s working as Firs, which he describes as Blush Response’s 80s electronic sibling”.

When a smooth new jam comes out of Australia, I tend to find myself unable to resist. That’s no surprise really – I’ve been avidly following chill-wave artists since my discovery of their emergence on to the music scene a few years ago. So, when the offer to review his new album Sweet Nothings came up, it was a bit of a no-brainer. Top that off with its groovy melody, and you’ve got a clear-cut recipe for my Album of the Week. The album kicks off with the nostalgic click of a cassette entering a tape deck and from there we experience 20-something minutes of pure magic.

firs

His unique style of dreamy chill-wave recalls influences from all ends of the musical spectrum – deeply textured, hypnotic songs that pay homage to psychedelic pop, while the warmth of analogue instrumentation spliced with digital artifacts hint at contemporary artists, which adds a great deal of substance to this album. Psychedelic, dream-driven themes inspire Fir’s work, where layers of electronic textures drape over organic sounds and ghostly vocals. Firs harnesses thematic elements of dynamism and composition to create depth and complexity, while never losing sight of his pop sensibilities.

His single Candles is a relaxing track that evokes feelings of warmth and love. The simplicity of each chord combined with the echoed vocals creates a truly dreamy track that is effortless and intriguing all at the same time. Sure, it’s easy to write a song (for some…), but it’s a feat to accomplish all the elements that make a great song without sounding generic. Firs has done just that.

Whatever his secret is to creating a brilliant album, Douglas knows what he’s doing. Sweet Nothings is available for download from Bandcamp for a total dollar amount of whatever you think it is worth.

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