Neo new wave trio Head Fake recently released EP 3, a seven-track collection of retro-flavored music via Neurodisc Records.
Semi-anonymous, Head Fake emphasizes music over personalities, providing only first names: James, Michael, and Ivan. Michael is the multi-instrumentalist; James handles bass, vocals, and composition; and Ivan produces and delivers vocals.
The band’s genesis occurred in New Jersey, where James and Michael got together at Michael’s studio to do some off-the-cuff recording. A few hours later, they had a fully-formed song – “One Step.” When approached, Ivan was immediately attracted to the idea, which led to writing more new material, followed by laying down tracks.
After their debut EP captured beaucoup attention, the threesome released EP 2, defined by lush ‘80s touches blended with pop and country savors.
EP 3 starts off with “Hollywood Dreams,” opening on a low-slung driving rhythm topped by a deep tenor, loaded with delicious quasi-chanting tones, conjuring up memories of The Moody Blues crossed with Marcy Playground.
Entry points include “You Could Come Around,” traveling on lavish dark coloration capped by percolating colors, while the rhythm pushes relentlessly forward. Definitive washes of new wave colors give the tune contagious retro allure, especially the gleaming synths filling the backdrop.
Opening on oscillating synths, “The Silence” rolls into a melody exuding dream-pop and new wave-lite textures, shimmering with soft melancholic hues and haunting timbres. Whereas “We Are Stars” features rumbling percussion, gentle, almost prog-rock guitars, and hints of folk-rock. Plush, subdued vocal harmonies infuse the tune with cashmere radiance.
The final track, “JFK,” rides crunching drums tinted with funk flavors. An incandescent guitar, controlled yet tightly extended, delivers searing accents. Lustrous keyboards reflect off the fat, cavernous pulsations, giving the tune dual layers of sound, along with psychedelic fusions.
On EP 3, Head Fake conveys the seductive, compelling energy of retro new wave with injections of contemporary pop tangs.
