From the first resonating note of Collegium, the album leaves a deep and evocative touch on thoughts and senses which in many ways is hard to express in words. It is an experience which has to be felt in person to truly appreciate the resonating beauty and provocative touch, anything we say here mere whispered guidance to its potent presence. The first official full length release by The Fawn, an artistic collective led by Nathan Baumann, the album explores the realms of thought and emotion whilst easily igniting those of the listener.
The new album follows a quartet of EPs which with a limited release has bred an intense and dedicated fanbase for the project around Switzerland. Began by Baumann in 2011,The Fawn is a collaboration of the most imaginative musicians, plastic artists and technicians in the country all providing their invention for free alongside Baumann for a project of true DIY spirit. Featuring the talents of members of The Ocean, Coilguns, Shelving, Rectangle, Derrick, and many more, as well as other artists from other medium than music, the experimental and impacting release is a series of small soundscapes combining for one sophisticated experience working on many potent levels.
Collegium was started in the January of 2012 in the church of St- Imier, his native town in Switzerland. Given the opportunity to 
have its distinct voice as a canvas for the recording and production for one week, Baumann with producer/songwriter Louis Jucker (The Ocean, Coilguns, Kunz) and sound engineer Christoph Noth, chose to employ a new conceptual approach of recording with the natural reverberation and throat of the building leading the composing and mixing process. Songs were written and explored only once within the walls of the XIth century church with its touch and voice bringing guidance and rich impressions on the recordings and album. For the recording a selection of acoustic instruments were used: piano, 6 and 12 strings guitars, cello, tuba, percussions, drums, as well as the original organ of the building amongst many other factors brought into the intricate and intently crafted preparation to make full use of the opportunity, imagination at large, and the acoustic beauty of the church itself.
From the very first track The Arch, the qualities which ignited the invention and creativity provide a wind through the ear. A melodic drone of organ offers a persistent enticing engagement with a rasp to its invitation whilst leading the listener unreservedly into the arms of the acoustic caress of guitar. The compelling resonate purr of the formidable instrument subsequently lends its exhaustive breath across the whole length of the track to soundtrack the seductive vocals of Baumann and the continuing creative breeze of guitar. It is an imposing but enthralling sensation, an emotively resonating experience which leaves a rich imprint upon thoughts and senses long.
The following Paper Cuts features, as in two other songs, the distinct voice of Jucker; his expressive earnest tones an acidic pleasure within the elegant acoustically caressing narrative crafted by the guitars for an emotional wash. It is a fascinating incitement soon equalled by Two Lines with Baumann returning to coax the deepest heart out of the piece. Already within three songs the echo of the building is a thrilling canvas for the sounds and songs to reach their emotive pinnacles and in the third song with the entry of the cello, it finds the most powerful declaration yet.
The mesmeric Queen of Rain is one of the major highlights of the album, its warm and refreshing waltz through the ear providing a summer walk in an imaginative aural climate of invention and expression whilst Asylum with Jucker returning to lay his individual vocal temptation, is a passion lined conviction of open emotions. Though not every track sparks the same depth of passion and greed as others, Collegium is an album which allows no moment to be wasted, the wave like flow of songs always impacting and bringing strong persuasion before the ear.
Across the likes of Good Friends, the equally haunting and entrancing Nocturne, and the warmly alluring Summerbreeze, the album continues to impress and invite stronger emotion, the tail end of the release its most enriching, whilst closing song Dive uses the building framing its ingenuity, as another instrument of descriptive colour and emotional testament most strongly on the Hummus Records released album.
Also bringing in to the collective the abilities and invention of two Swiss designers, Gaspard de la Montagne (Spitzhorn) and Jerôme Burgener (Structo) for the album artwork, and Swiss plastic artist Carlo Clopath for photography, The Fawn is a project which is compelling, an imagination of folk pop, to simplify its stance, which deserves to have the chance to bring its undoubted impact before every emotive heart.
Line-up
Nathan Baumann : Vocals, Guitars, Organ, Piano
Louis Jucker : Vocals, Guitars, Cello, Organ, Percussions, Production
Luc Hess : Drums, Percussions
Bertrand Vorpe : Guitars
Philippe Krüttli : Tuba
Pascal Lopinat : Noises and Loops
Christoph Noth: Recording, Mixing and Mastering
Gaspard de la Montagne and Jerome Burgener : Artwork
Carlo Clopath : Photographs
https://www.facebook.com/thefawnweb
8/10
RingMaster 17/05/2013
Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright
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rich emotive tones of violin from Kirby and Ed Bruggeme, viola from Charlie Stock, and the seductive shadows from cellist Terezie Kovalova, wrapping the ear in a rapturous embrace which ignites open feelings. The string quartet is arranged by Kirby who consistently over previous releases with her imaginative arrangements has impressed and pushed songs into deeper impacting textures and evocative visions. As Cook begins the lyrical passage of the song, a new breath seduces the senses from within, the dramatic air and passional strength of the song enveloping with seductive and riveting grandeur but it is a majesty which has no sense of indulgence or self-importance. It is a wonderful version which stands boldly by the side of the original for these ears whilst as mentioned opening up a new shadow and life within the song.
a grouchy yet beckoning bass call. As beats muster their wares jangling guitars add a bright funk high stepping breath to proceedings, their vibrant and keen presence bringing an early Orange Juice flavour to the heavier tones of the enthralling bass persuasion. The vocals of Burns are expressive without blowing the cobwebs from the passions but fit perfectly in the teasing overall sound which suggests a major explosion but never does take the full leap though its riotous climax with a funk infused boisterousness which brings thoughts of eighties band Mouth, certainly energises and triggers a livelier escapade.
brewing to an impending climax but then instantly dropping off into a melodic guitar crafted caress. With vocal nudges making a claim alongside the bass, their whispers as if spawn through a vacuum hose, the track shimmers and resonates like an ever revolving wheel of textures and dimensions, a clarity eluding the grasp until a time of its choosing when the guitar entwines the ear with a deliciously grooved irritant to its touch and mesmeric call. It is a restrained but dramatic start, the impressive first of a flow of tracks provoking the mind and its invention.
wrapped in great vocal harmonies. Taking a small breath for the vocals of Wlaysewski to begin the narrative within a warm hug of elegant melodies and entrancing synths, the song lifts its feet for a strolling flow of aural smiles and keen bounce to its gait. It is an irresistible welcome into the album, its demands minimal but rewards plentiful in their engagement and energy.
knowing understanding of how to invite and seduce interest alongside the emotions without making an overstated entrance. The vocal harmonies bring extra warmth to the already wonderfully persuasive tones of Roxanne and though the whistling for personal preferences throws a slight unbalance to the flowing charm of the song, it is a brief aside before the track reasserts its compelling hold.
of fuzzy guitar strokes and mutually resonating bass entrapment and once the great vocals of Ellie add their warm beckoning, Back To The Mono has a firm grip on the ear and emotions. The almost lo-fi touch of the song, its breath raw yet perfectly defined as a persuasion, brings a delicious organic feel whilst the blues soaked guitar hook and magnetic chorus only furthers its claim to the passions. A track which has no desires to create a tempest of evolving textures but instead offers a continual and solid prowl of the ear, it still manages to bring a heat and absorbing adventure which rivals and more often outshines the majority of similarly gaited and clothed indie tracks erupting out this year.
prowls amidst their music and none more so than in opener Listen Hear Glide Dear. The track is a caustic wash of sonic unrest and folk invitation coated in an unsettling distrustful ambience which intrudes and permeates every atom of the senses to disrupt their ease and open the doors to provocation. Dirge like in its gait and abrasive in its embrace, the track leaves the emotions ringing from its jangly rub allowing the following Currents to slip in to its place with ease and bewitching temptation. From its restrained start big bulging rhythms and a lovely throaty bassline saunters across the ear whilst the fiery touch of the guitar ensures that there is still a sinister element at play. The delicious vocals of Caroline Lufkin (Temporary Residence) lay a siren like hand upon the passions to temper and equally feed the now agitated formidable rhythmic dance which almost bruises the listener within the rising and coarse sonic embrace permeating the air. It is a tremendous opening to the album, the two tracks in their distinct individuality uniting for a startling and inciting introduction to the release.
immediately takes a grip with its opening salvo of rolling drum hooks and engaging guitar beckoning, their touch wrapping an inviting arm around the shoulders of the senses, luring them deeper in the focus of the song and the impending scuzz lined bluster of its heart. As it parades its impressive presence within the ear there are loud whispers of bands such as Au-Pairs and Girls At Their Best as well as the scintillating discord challenging likes of Breeders and Throwing Muses apparent. The song is as infectious as it is aurally evocative and recruits the passion with ease to its contagious cause rewarding with intense rewards in return.
