Jonny Faith – Neon
“Neon”, out 13th April, is the second single from Jonny Faith’s debut album, ‘Sundial’. As well as the luminous lead track, this package also boasts some stunning new music, with “Firefly (Clap! Clap! Remix)” (recently premiered by Gilles Peterson on BBC 6Music and also included in his 6Music Festival mix) and the previously unreleased “Revolve”.
Released on Tru Thoughts in February, the ‘Sundial’ album announced Australia-based Scot Jonny Faith as a serious new talent in the sphere of electronic production with a sparkling, hip hop-rooted style that inspired comparisons to Flying Lotus, The Avalanches and Bonobo (whom he has been booked to support live in Japan on 6th March).
“Neon” finds Faith exploring 80bpm fast/slow footwork territory, with pitch-shifted, rhythmic and abstract vocals that shine colourful and bright; this immersive yet propulsive track showcases the deft touch that has brought widespread support for the LP, with airplay from the likes of Huey Morgan and Don Letts (6Music) to Jeremy Sole (KCRW) adding to spins, features and mixes on major Australian stations including Triple J and FBi and in-depth coverage in Clash, THUMP and DJ Mag, to name a few.
Continuing the theme of light, the chopped up, overlapping kalimba sounds on “Firefly” evoke images of fireflies darting around each other, creating a heady glow that proves the perfect playground for Clap! Clap! to work his magic with a remix. Carrying on deeper into footwork/juke turf, he also infuses the track with the African sounds that he has become known for exploring; indulging his penchant for short, sweet and intense sonic nuggets (as showcased on his acclaimed ‘Tayi Bebba’ LP on Black Acre) his remix sees the cloud of fireflies thickening into a frantic, shimmering flash.
“Revolve” brings together an array of field recordings – including a London police radio, a bus in Zagreb and cicadas in New York – into strangely frenetic yet hypnotic future beats track. It was created as part of an initiative organised by CDR Projects (the international producers’ movement in which Faith is involved, with peers including Mark Pritchard, in the Australian branch) and Dimensions Festival. The challenge was to make an original song using field recordings contributed by a global community, and “Revolve” will appear on a forthcoming compilation of the top creations.
Originating from Edinburgh and now based in Melbourne, where he has established himself in the thriving scene, Jonny Faith honed his keen ear as a young hip hop, jungle, reggae and D&B turntablist. Early forays into making his own music heavily reflected his dub sensibilities, before the burgeoning hip hop future beats scene entranced him. He explored and unearthed these experimental beats via his pioneering show on Sydney’s 2SER.fm and his renowned Headroom club night, before taking the style in his own cosmic direction. Early efforts were snapped up by Civil Music (Om Unit, Debruit), attracting remixers including Ital Tek. Through constantly honing, enriching and updating his skills in the studio, via CDR and via his work as a production teacher, Faith’s sound has now grown into an emotive and accomplished affair that is pricking up ears worldwide. A truly instinctive producer and composer, Faith’s one conscious intention with ‘Sundial’ was to explore the combination of rich, organic and peaceful sounds with hip hop beats. Finely crafted and individual, overflowing with intricate percussion, the spritely energy is anchored by serious beats and a sense of wonderment at the intensely vivid light and nature of Australia.
With previous gigs including support for Tokimonsta and Nosaj Thing, Faith is using his DJ and turntablist chops in a new live set incorporating his own tracks and live remixes – Australian and European dates now booking.
