Sylvan Esso are a two-piece, electro-pop band that were never meant to be. Meeting by chance on the same bill at the small venue, vocalist Amanda Meath approached electronic producer Nick Sanborn with “Play it Right”; a song she performed with her folk trio Mountain Man, and asked him to remix it. After creating the obligatory remix, Sanborn sensed there was something else to this collaboration; a feeling shared by Meath. In no time at all the pair moved to Durham, North Carolina and began recording what would become their debut release in Sanborn’s bedroom.
The realisation of this pairing comes in the form of ten tracks that showcase a beautiful harmony between luscious folk vocals and pulsing electronica. The production is richly layered, yet minimalist, the vocals deal with subjects that would dissuade the need to move, yet demand that you do. Every melody feels fine tuned, each click and glitch serving a purpose, not one second of the album feeling wasted or tacked on. It’s an album that redefines the model of female-fronted electronic music, proving that there is hope yet for an ailing genre.
We sit down with Nick to discuss video games, Travis McGee novels and their self-titled debut album.
Chris Mackin Writer 