Venus in Furs (your guess as to whether this is a Velvet Underground or German literature reference) have released their first EP, and with the description of their music as “psych lo-fi folk”, it immediately sounds like an interesting combination of worlds. The demo includes two songs, ‘Fairy Face’ and ‘The Old Man and The Sea’, and it carries an atmosphere similar to that of the French music duo Air, combined with some work of The Coral.
That being said, it doesn’t feel like a repeat of a song heard a thousand times. The gentle tones recreate the feeling of watching the sea (fitting for the second song on the demo); yet alongside the calming tones, an air of melancholy seems to drift over these tracks, as in the faint whispers of vocals carrying over the music like distant calls. The music is brought to the forefront, but not in an overpowering manner; instead, it makes you more conscious, whether that is of the music and melody, surroundings or even events that have occurred or only been dreamed.
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The dream-like quality to ‘Fairy Face’ and ‘The Old Man and The Sea’ seem able to capture a nostalgic image of long lost moments. This could be thanks to the lo-fi, rougher edge to the music which creates not a clean cut sound, but a faded haze drifting over the listener. This would also combine the psychedelic aspect with the idea or even ability to transport the listener to a different time, space or world. With these two songs to go off, the future of Venus in Furs is sure to be an intriguing one. These tracks are fit for the soundtrack of a cult film, or spinning on repeat on vinyl on a long day.
Words by Jessica Borden