The Phoenix Foundation – Buffalo
There is popular music that’s in your face and assertive and music that insinuates itself into your psyche in a more organic and leisurely manner. Buffalo, the fourth album by Kiwi band The Phoenix Foundation is the latter. Their version of dream pop takes its time and urges you to do the same.
Unlike most bands on this ilk that release albums very sporadically, the band members that make up The Phoenix Foundation have been very active. Their back-catalogue is littered with numerous albums, EPs, solo efforts and even a few soundtracks (the most notable of which is the original score to Taika Waititi’s film Eagle vs. Shark).
Their approach on Buffalo is to layer the human voice on top of the most sympathetic instrumentation possible and let it evolve naturally. The hooks come from the integration of all these elements and not from clever studio trickery or obvious moments of a percussive nature, hand claps anyone? This method makes for more of a complete experience.
Things are keep straightforward and accessible, even songs like Orange & Mango with its somewhat dense structure is given an arrangement that still breaths. After numerous plays Buffalo continues to release its charms and draw the listener in, this is a work with no use by date. Rob Hudson www.thephoenixfoundation.tumblr.com
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