Feather Jesus – Fassine (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

When I was trying to describe the sound of last year’s single Sunshine, I resorted to words like bleak and minimal but on reading back what I wrote I wish to change my plea, m’lud. Subsequent listens to that track followed by the arrival of this new single has made me look for a better choice of words. Let’s start with slick. There is a clean limbed, unfussy, classic grace to their style of pop, if pop it even is…that seems like too restrictive a term, one which conjures a whole bunch of images which don’t even come close to doing justice how forward thinking and progressive this track is.

I now realise that their music isn’t minimalist at all, it is just that the fine gossamer threads and elegant textures are so well constructed, so closely woven, that whereas with most music you can see the mechanics at work, with Fassine you can’t even see the join. This is a tantalising glance at what chilled dance music can be, what pop is capable of if it stopped chasing the dollar and started chasing perfection. It may sound as if I am over selling the case somewhat but give it a few years when everyone is trying to emulate the musical eloquence of Fassine and I will just copyright the phrase “ I told you so” and retire comfortably on the proceeds.