“lilting falsettos and gentle folk tones” Time Out
New album reaches No I in the USA 'New Artist Album' Chart
Fossil Collective are a Leeds duo whose music is an intoxicating blend of exquisitely structured songs and glorious, rich harmonies. Their EP track ‘Let It Go’ was iTunes single of the week in the USA, won Steve Lamacq’s 6 Music's Rebel Playlist and appeared on the XFM Playlist. Jonny Hooker and David Fendick are two multi-instrumentalists, swelling to a five-piece for live performances. This is a collective by name and nature “we are always looking for people to come on board,” say the duo.
Their second EP ‘On & On’ found Jonny and David experimenting with the form and texture of their music. The title track – the first song they ever wrote together – recalls Midlake at their flutey best. Its lyrics tell a story about a stag and a wolf which, when it came to writing them, were only half remembered, hence the opening line: “Try and remember how the story goes.” The band produced a stunning, animated video to accompany the track, incorporating computer animation and stop motion. Fans of Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr Fox should definitely investigate further.
David and Johnny met on the Leeds music scene, playing in different bands but both feeling restricted they decided to make music together. “The best thing about Fossil Collective is the sense of freedom and control we have,” they say. Indeed, ‘On & On’s’ title track is about the break up of previous musical projects and the people in them. It, the rest of the EP, and a forthcoming album were recorded in various locations around Leeds, including the crypt of church in Batley, where they had to pause whenever there was a service on upstairs. The duo themselves live in the countryside outside Leeds, which is reflected in their bucolic sound. “We’re generally more connected more with nature and the countryside than the city centre,” they say. “We like the simple life and the outdoors.”
They have recently toured with US grammy award winning duo The Civil Wars, soul singer Ren Harvieu and Benjamin Francis Leftwich,
