The Fauns were formed in 2007 in Bristol and consists of Alison Garner (vocals), Will Slater (guitar), Michael Savage (bass) and Guy Rhys-Davies (drums). Their their eponymous debut album was released 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.
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. 

What They Say: “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.”

“This album is less about the melancholy associated with the genre and more about getting our audience dancing.”

Their Mixtape:

FREUR – DOOT DOOT

I’ve loved this song ever since discovering it an a Sounds compilation as a teenager. I didn’t ever imagine that one day The Fauns would cover it. The original is perfect in every way which made the task difficult, how do you cover something that you so revere? There are so many wonderful aspects to the original. The rhythm of the chirping crickets, the layered and delayed vocals and the hazy mystery of the lyrics. I love the restrained use of intstruments for the first half of the song. This slowly builds a tension but give no clue as to the overwhelming emotional release which is on the way. The huge drum fills on the second half are particularly notable (we covered these exactly out of respect to the original).

VANGELIS – LOVE THEME (BLADE RUNNER SOUNDTRACK)

My favourite soundtrack has to be Blade Runner by Vangelis but for years I never quite grasped “Love Theme”. It always felt out of place on the album for me until recently when I rewatched the film again in the cinema. The piece appears to be written very precisely for the love scene between Deckard and Rachel. I hadn’t noticed before but there is another layer to the track on the film where Rachel plays a few notes on the piano, this blends beautifully with the sax based theme. For me it’s a piece that makes so much more sense with the additional pianos. My mind was blown when I realised that the album version isn’t the same as the film version. Rachel’s piano is at 0.59 in this clip.

TOTO – PAUL MEETS CHIANI (DUNE SOUNDTRACK)

Yes the same Toto of “Africa” fame (minus vocalist). I’m a huge fan of David Lynch’s underrated interpretation of the Dune universe. Part of this love is for the soundtrack which also features Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. “Paul Meets Chiani” is a highlight for me. It builds beautifully from a lone synth calling out across the deserts of Dune. Accompanied by strings and pads this rises and falls and then builds to full strings and a choir with a sombre religious feel. I swear there is a nod to this Toto track in Hans Zimmer’s recent Dune soundtrack, just a couple of seconds which bridge the two universes for a moment.

PET SHOP BOYS – LOVE COMES QUICKLY (SHEP PETTIBONE MASTERMIX)

This track features on the mini album “Disco” which I highly recommend, it’s a compilation of remixes of their deeper 80s dance tracks before they went full pop. The song is about the inevitability that you will fall in love again even if you deny it and distract yourself with other pleasures. As well as being lyrically beautiful it’s elegantly layered (especially the percussion). With every listen I discover something new about it. I particularly approve of Neil Tennant’s sermon like spoken word intro.

LOVE CORPORATION – WORLD

The early nineties signalled a movement from indie rock to indie dance in the UK with many acts not quite finding their audience. Love Corporation was one of Creation label’s few dance music acts and for some reason their brilliant album “Lovetones” was overlooked. At a time when the baggy Manchester scene was rising they were perhaps too dance to appeal to indie kids and too indie to be seen as dance music. “World” is the stand out track for me with its interwoven trancey acidic synths. I love the slightly wonky use of vocal samples which shouldn’t work but really do (is that Tarzan’s call?).

KNOWER – THAT’S WHERE YOU ARE

This track serves to illustrate the chameleon like abilities of futuristic jazz duo Genevieve Artadi and Louis Cole. Gorgeous looped and layered drones blend with cello, harp and drums on brushes. Genevieve’s vocals drift across this ambient soundscape like a poem broadcast backwards in time to us from the future. The themes seem to be of love, loss and acceptance, it’s fragile and powerfully epic at the same time.

How Lost is out now on Invada Records. Look HERE for more information on The Fauns.