[bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=364605588 size=small bgcol=333333 linkcol=ffffff track=3873471875]

phern cool comaHatched from an impromptu jam session between bassist Hélène Barbier and guitarist Ben Lalonde, PHERN is a five-piece from Montréal, Québec. With ties to projects like Moss Lime, Soft Cone, and Sheer Agony, friends Christian Simmons, Sarah Haag and Micahel Wright round out the line-up. Their debut record cool coma, released through Fixture Records, is a collection of songs that gushes quirkiness in fragmented morsels.

The hopscotching Disgusting Mermaid is an ebullient cut with snappy bounce. Reminiscent of the simplistic infectious stylings of Stereolab, the band has a knack for crafting minimalistic songs with an immiscible feel. With sharp pop instrumentation sprouting in different directions, Barbier’s lyrics are chimerical (“fancy fancy fancy paper around empty boxes) that take on surreal yet playful qualities.

Cereal Pairing: Crispix Krispies


2018-01-08