Liverpool trip hop artist def.fo, aka Tom Powell, has shared his hotly anticipated debut LP, Eternity. A psychedelic kaleidoscope of an album, featuring the best kind of Anglo- American exchange, fusing influences from Liverpool to California, taking listeners on a spellbinding trip from the introspective recesses of the mind to the brightest windswept beaches, from indie vibes of the past to a futuristic utopia. Creating a new genre, ‘Psychedelicfolkhop’ it’s a truly immersive soundscape; nostalgic, yet fresh and futuristic, floating between the 60s and the 90s, featuring esteemed guest vocal appearances from the legendary Michael Head (Shack, The Pale Fountains) and the keys of Chris Geddes (Belle and Sebastian) adding depth, breadth and dimension.
The first track ‘Free’ sighs open, welcoming you into a rippling pool of breathy cyclical sonics where you can float in its psychedelic swirls, asking questions like, ‘Are we all just actors?‘ Swelling with the best fusion of indie harmonies, it’s as if the Beach Boys melded with the the Beatles, Pavement with The Charlatans or Stone Roses with Beck and yet it’s truly fresh and ground breaking, floating around the first and second summers of love. It could be the perfect trip.
‘Circles,’ is an intelligent, bluesy, contemplative track that elevates with sweeping strings reminiscent of The Verve and equally as reflective of the human condition. Everything in this piece is well crafted, trailblazing and fresh but it builds on strong indie traditions with powerful lyrical hooks about being restlessly looped within your own thoughts. There’s a beauty and universal melancholy in journeying through the protagonist’s inner monologues. At the heart of the Eternity album lies a captivating lyrical consciousness, delving deep into the vaults of the past, unravelling untold tales of all our futures, and provoking an urgent contemplation and consideration of the present. Tom builds on his experience playing bass with Michael Head & the Red Elastic Band and it’s the Father-son duo of Tom and Steve Powell (The Strands, John Power, The Stairs) who create sonic alchemy with their production. Their craft and expertise are evident throughout.
‘Play it Cool’ packs a powerfully nostalgic punch with its radio-ready rock vibes- Lush and cinematic, the rolling riffs and slanted hazy vocals wash over shimmering sonics like road trip on a long hot summer. This is the one that he will be remembered for- an instant classic, with True Romance allusions in the accompanying video.
‘Dreamers‘ fuses banjo, steel drum and country vibes with the harmonies like Simon and Garfunkel. You can imagine riding off on a horse onto the wild west as they dream of Escape with well-curated bluesy riffs going from whimsical to gritty tropes. ”Thinking of dreaming in all seasons.‘
‘Autumn Leaves‘ has contemplative Badly Drawn Boy vibes, with soaring strings and stunning indie-folk melodies, reminding us the light will eventually return despite the darkness. There are sumptuous classical allusions in the strings all draped with def.fo’s lush harmonic vocals
After the palate-cleansing folk vibes of ‘Autumn Leaves,‘ the heavy industrial riffs of ‘Godly‘ are a delicious kick to the solar plexus- This is a superb track. Although the vibes differ, the allusions to nature remain a cohesive link with the previous track with references to rivers and valleys. The aural imagery in “Volcanic Lava flow /hotter than the sun and colder than the snow” is powerful. The thing that strikes me most is how the soundscape tells its own tale- echoing the lyrics perfectly in each case, which is pretty extraordinary. Stunning lines like “Tripping on Stardust” parallel with the steady sonic incline to the heavens The lyrical hook, “We feel Godly” is glorious with groove-laden bass synths and a bed of trip hop rhythms made for the dance floor. def.fo said, that it’s ‘Inspired by the rich mysteries of life and the boundless expanse of the universe” The track almost takes us step by step into the heavens.
‘It’s a Wonderful Life‘ has classic indie guitar riffs melding the best of the baggy madchester scene and Liverpool Beatles like slants with the heavier guitar riffs of Knopfler. Another instant classic. ‘The Healing Fields,‘ is like a warm sonic bath, layered with lush harmonies inviting us to ‘fly to lands far away.’ It’s the perfect chill-out track melding flavours of Temples, Tame Impala, George Harrison’s Wonderwall Music or even Andre 3000′s New Blue Sun. Rich with trippy vibes, it’s the perfect track to melt into with flutes gong baths and shimmering acoustic fingerpicking. It has stunning Beatles-like Strawberry Fields imagery but is fresh, dreamy and idyllic in its own right.
In the title track, Eternity def.fo paints a vivid picture of a simulated utopian reality suspended in the cloud forever, taking its inspiration from the evocative San Junipero episode of Black Mirror. ‘Eternity’ is a place where the cares of the real world fade away, leaving behind a blissful technicolour existence. Bleached by the sun, the soundscapes stretch out for miles, bathing the listeners in beauty. Wrapping the listener in a warm tapestry of sonics, Tom’s fresh vocals float above jangling multi-layered riffs, laced with Beatles-like harmonies soaring ever closer to the heavens. He sings, “I’m Sitting on a Cloud trying to catch a song…Climb aboard hitch a ride with me” hooking the listener in and taking them on the trip with him. Here in this angelic soundscape; a dream destination where a fine web of psyched-up, synth-like guitars, sweet, hazy melodies, and other-worldly lyrics merge, teleporting the listener to a place where only real happiness and true freedom can ever reign; the wondrous realm of Eternity.
Final track, ‘Watching the World‘ is an immediate, indie anthem. that steps out of the lush haze for the finale and shines in technicolour. It’s like they’ve reached their heavenly destination. They’ve had their moment of realisation and anagnorisis in the lines “Make the most of being alive.” It’s a life-affirming ending and a refreshing landing after the floaty dream-like quality of the rest of the album. The hero’s been on that immersive journey and it’s changed them somehow, making them realize what’s important. The lines “Watching as the world goes by, I never want to leave you “could even reflect the ending of the San Junipero episode where the protagonists live forever in utopia.
The track ends with a stunning musical outro; a reflective joyful ending. It seems perfectly crafted. Everything is here for a purpose. Nothing seems superfluous. Each note seems to serve the track. The immense quality and expertise is evident in the writing playing and production. Together the artist and listener create meaning as they journey together through the album. There’s a psychedelic operatic quality to the tales that the music itself tells, enhanced by the poetry of the lyrics, with each track placed purposefully on the album, you feel like you’ve been on an immersive trip to utopia, one that you will want to go on again and again. So let this album take you to Eternity and back. You won’t regret it!
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