The wisdom of your words…
Suitably released on Father’s Day, South London duo Ooberfuse return with a warm, heartfelt paean to fatherhood designed to resonate with a broad audience.
As Ooberfuse, Hal St John and Cherrie Anderson craft emotional pop often with a bittersweet edge. The duo describe their songs as “audio footprints left behind by people impelled towards invisible things”, which is typified by tunes such as ‘On My Knees’, ‘Bitter End’ and ‘Call My Name’.
The latter release marked the duo’s continuing music evolution in 2019, which in our review, we noted: “‘Call My Name’ builds layers of electronics whose driving rhythms are contrasted with Cherrie Anderson’s wistful vocals.” Meanwhile, the video for ‘Call My Name’ (shot on location in the Philippines) clocked up a staggering 20,000 views on YouTube within two weeks.
Their music aesthetic embraces both western and eastern sensibilities and, as a live act, Ooberfuse have graced the stages in countries worldwide, including Italy, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Canada, the Philippines, China, India, Romania and Iraq.
With latest release ‘Father’, Ooberfuse have opted for a softer approach with a gentle piano melody augmented by Cherrie Anderson’s evocative voice. The song’s lyrical narrative is an emotive journey; a heartfelt story between child and father with some stirring words (“Open arms, prepare to catch me fall”).
“This song was written around the time of my father passing away” commented Hal St John on the song’s genesis, “It was a difficult phase of my life and I am hoping that this track will honour his memory.”
As a result, there’s a powerful undercurrent to the composition which is bolstered by some effective reedy synth elements. Cherrie Anderson’s fragile vocal delivery on lines such as “It’s your voice that leads me home” has a poetic power that lingers long after the song has finished.
Earlier this year, the duo released the more pop-orientated ‘Fly High’, a breezy outing that demonstrated the range and versatility that Ooberfuse are capable of. During the current Covid crisis, the pair have also made use of live-streaming performances, keeping themselves busy during a tough time.
‘Father’, in turn, showcases the more intimate side of the musical pair. A perfect Father’s Day gift.
‘Father’ is out now on Fretsore Records.
https://linktr.ee/fathersingle
Livestream performances:
21 June – Livestream on the Ooberfuse channel to mark Father’s Day
27 June – Virtual Anime and Gaming Con
www.ooberfuse.com
www.facebook.com/ooberfuse
www.soundcloud.com/ooberfuse