Here’s a question for you: how does Charlie Simpson split his time between four different musical projects? Not content with being the frontman of Fightstar and a solo artist, as well as being back in the ever popular boyband Busted, this man has now gone on to form a different band with his two brothers, Will and Edd, and their friend Simon Britcliffe: Once Upon a Dead Man.
This group have been a long time in the making: between their respective projects, it’s been difficult to find the time to get this project off the ground. Yet, they finally have – taking influences from the likes of The Postal Service and The National, this quartet have pulled together to create a new electronic-indie sound. And, to bring you a taste of what they have to offer, they’ve released their debut EP ‘Concepts and Phenomena’.
Single ‘The Canopy’ injects a rush of adrenaline to the system, while ‘Give Up’ soars from the start with its overlap of dulcet vocals and elegant chorus; this chorus alone is rather breath-taking. Opening with an atmospheric verse, ‘Rush’ falls into a smooth and uplifting beat, with a blend of synths and sequences that would be the perfect soundtrack to a late night drive home.
‘Arrogant Love’ is a rather weak track and sticks out uncomfortably on this release – the vocals feel more forced and desperate. But the group redeem themselves with ‘A More Ordinary Time’ and ‘Threads’, which sees divine backing harmonies and carefully constructed vocal hooks come together to create tracks that are weightless and boast a shiny, melodic structure, layered with ghostly vocals.
What Once Upon a Dead Man are creating isn’t entirely new – it is, however, a solid and well-made EP, and a brilliant start for the group. Swaths of synths and sleek beats are brought together with haunting vocals to create a gloriously cinematic sound that’s rather romantic and heartfelt against a backdrop of a glacial soundscape.
JESS TAGLIANI