Eastern Barbers:
"Blue Flakes"
Eastern BArbers
"Formed by multi-instrumentalist brothers Ross Fernandez and James, EASTERN BARBERS have certainly made an impact on the South-East London music scene. Providing an inner-city soundtrack to a generation whose outlook is becoming increasingly desolate, they tell their story through a haze of throwback soul samples, gently circling jazz-guitar hooks and lo-fi synth melodies.
Whereas recently released single ‘Milk’ was an observation on the changing face of the city, in their words ‘Blue Flakes’ is “the simple strategy to cope with this idea that spaces are being diluted”. Communities are making way for Tesco Express’s and people are just moving fluidly between relationships without actually connecting with each other. “You notice a lot of this stuff as you get older and it can be challenging to digest. When we were younger things felt simpler and in Blue Flakes we’re trying to revisit some of that innocence.”
The quartet’s message is one that connects, having been supported by the likes of NME, DIY and BBC Introducing’s Abbie McCarthy, which has led to them playing Glastonbury, Sofar Sounds and the Great Escape, as well performing to consistently sold out London venues.
Their eclectic influences stem from being classically trained as well as a youth spent touring in a contemporary jazz outfit across Europe. The brothers began writing in earnest while living and travelling through Latin America, East Asia, India and the Middle East. They draw from their bank of samples collected, voice memos and WhatsApp messages, reworking and remixing them as a continuous process, and piecing them together to create multi-layered compositions.
The line-up is completed by a rotating cast of family and friends who join them live to add elements such as brass and spoken word to the soundscape."
Listen to Blue Flakes on Soundcloud and Spotify below.
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