Opening tracks, much like introductory sentences in pieces of writing, are an art form which can make or break a listener’s attention. It’s journalism 101: a successful opener will finely balance between introducing things to come and grabbing attention by pulling something unique.
If we’re talking musical openers that follow the rule, think the absolute gripping splendour of the first movement on Birth And Death Of The Day or the effortless rolling feeling of My Morning Jacket’s Mahgeetah that gets 03’s It Still Moves going.
Exclusive track Preface from Adelaide synth popper Firs. The title is pretty self explanatory to be honest.
Adelaide’s Firs (aka Alister Douglas (aka Blush Response)) has just shot us a super exclusive recording of what he uses as an opening track to the Firs live show. Preface is understated and undeniably groovy track that introduces everything you’ll need to know about Firs. A finely assembled electronic kit, some detuned drone, a shitload of reverb and an unshakable feeling that you’re floating about a foot above the ground.
If you’ve listened to Sweet Nothings or the amazing EP from Blush Response, then you can tell that the track has Alister’s fingerprints all over it. Solo electronic production is a scene that’s difficult to stand out in, but Douglas does well to differentiate his sound from similarly sleepy Melbourne’s composers like Japanese Wallpaper and Vancouver Sleep Clinic.
The crawling pace of and the heady wooze of chillwave are both prominent here, but there is something in Firs that is undeniably more mature, be it the upbeat melodies or the mechanically beautiful arrangement of all those sequences.
While it doesn’t look like Firs has any upcoming shows, I’d encourage you to make your own Firs playlist and jam along at home, especially now that you can stream his aptly named opener Preface, along with his discography over at his Bandcamp.
FIND OUT MORE
