EP Review Ferris & Sylvester 'Otherness - Side A (Storm)'
Musically dynamic duo Ferris & Sylvester have just released their new EP ‘Otherness - Side A (Storm)’ and it is the collection of driving alternative pop songs we had hoped for.
The EP will soon be followed by their new album ‘Otherness’ which is due for release on the 1st of March 2024. ‘Otherness’ is a sneak peek of what we may expect of their upcoming album, and another example of harmonious divineness the way we have come to expect from Ferris & Sylvester. The indie pop duo stunned us the first time around with single ‘Flying Visit’, followed by the 2022 album ‘Superhuman’, and with a more uplifting, empowering sound they have returned on our radar, aiming to stay. On ‘Dark Side’ and ‘Imposter’ we hear their more Americana and indie-infused pop sound, grand soundscapes driven by those gorgeous vocals, while ‘Don’t Fall In Love With Me’ turns towards a bluesy folk sound. The song fails miserably at not making us fall in love with Ferris & Sylvester all over again.
Their music is charming and hazy, dreamy and romantically-charged, heartfelt short stories aim to please and capture our hearts, which they have gracefully succeeded at. On ‘Mother,’ the husband and wife duo return to their roots with a heart wrenching and emotive sound and lyrics. Its soft and subtly theatrical soundscape amplifies the story of ‘Mother,’ talking about a family falling apart and coming back together again, yet in a different form. On their upcoming album, Issy Ferris said: “When writing this album, we felt each side of vinyl told its own story. This side is called ‘Storm’, as that’s how these songs felt when writing them - like a storm coming thick and fast, unstoppable and full of thunder.” ‘Otherness - Side A (Storm)’ ends in ‘End Of The World’, a rather fitting title, a beautiful ballad imagining a love ended only by an imminent apocalypse. The song encapsulates the duo’s latest evolution, and feels fittingly melancholic. ‘End Of The World’ is a grand and ambient, stunning end of this A-side.
The addition of ‘Side A’ to the EP’s title shows what fans might come to expect when listening to the duo's upcoming album on vinyl, with this being the first side of the physical album. Everything was recorded direct to a vintage 1960s tape machine, which helps capture the warm, analogue sound that resonates throughout this collection of songs. On the album, Ferris & Sylvester explore a wealth of genres and show off their musical flair, and unite these five songs by their lyrical content.
On the subjects on the album, Archie Sylvester adds: “We know how it feels to have everything pulled from underneath you. And yet, somehow the world keeps spinning and we have to figure out a way to move along with it. We hope this album and our story can offer comfort and courage to those going through anything that has scarred them, or shaped them. You are not alone. This album is for anyone who feels like an outsider.”
Words by Laura Rosierse
