Ross From Friends – The Daisy [Brainfeeder]
Taken from the album ‘Tread’, released 22 October on Brainfeeder: rossfromfriends.lnk.to/treadSo
While Ross from Friends’ – AKA Felix Clary Weatherall’s – debut album “Family Portrait” was dedicated in part to his parents, the new 12” “Epiphany” is an homage to (and named after) Clary Weatherall’s sister: “One of the most important role models I have”. The three tracks are sleeker and tougher than his acclaimed debut album but his signature warmth and personality is ever present. The artwork is by legendary pro skateboarder, entrepreneur and artist Chad Muska.
Recorded in the wake of the release of “Family Portrait” and constructed with the dancefloor at the forefront of his mind, he explains that the move to a new studio – “I finally got a place with a window” – coupled with the fact that he was also “getting into a lot of woodwork, DIY and making a lot of the furniture in the space” – precipitated a different approach in process when it came to the music. “I constantly wanted to take a step back and think about the structures in a more conventional sense. I spent a lot of time making it sound like it could be played in a club, particularly with ‘Phantom Ratio’ – I wanted to challenge myself to make a weird club track with that one.”
For the title track in particular, he drew inspiration from sci-fi movies. “I was watching a bunch of these films like The Thirteenth Floor, The Matrix (happy 20th anniversary) or Fifth Element, and I wanted the release to play on the idea of a desolate physical and social landscape becoming a utopia from a communal epiphany – or revolution”.
“Family Portrait” – hailed as “a powerful debut” by Crack Magazine – was described by Mixmag as “a gliding and glittering tour de force” in their ‘Albums of the Year 2018’ roundup. While NME praised Clary Weatherall’s unique sonic identity as “a mind-melting picture that takes in house, techno, jazz and ambient music, and ties it together to make something distinctly unique” and Rolling Stone declared him “a master of fun, gooey textures”. Similar praise came from the likes of Resident Advisor, The Wire, Pitchfork, AV Club, Loud & Quiet, DJ Mag, Clash, PopMatters, FADER and more.
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