British producer Ross From Friends aka Felix Clary Weatherall is the newest signing to Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder label.
His debut album Family Portrait is characterised by a perpetual desire to experiment and Felix's obsessive attention to detail, somehow marrying an intricately layered production style with warm, heavily saturated sonics that elevate, rather than stifle, his melodious funk. Family Portrait showcases his ability to shift and evolve, moving from lo-fi to the world of FlyLo.
The culmination of almost two years of intense studio time, working 20 hour days, and often spending months perfecting just one aspect of a track. "I tried to be careful with every single sound” he explains, “Trying new things, making a bit more of an explosive sound”. The album also finds Felix recording his own voice for the first time, with the resulting tracks acting as snapshots of his personal life while recording. “Every time I went to make music the things which would really grab me are the emotional things, and while I’m in that place I felt I could really focus on the track. That was a massive part of this album, tapping into my emotions… into my emotional instability”.
The album title also nods to a very specific personal aspect of the record: the influence of his parents. Dance music has always been a feature in Felix's life, with early memories of his dad producing music on his analogue set-up, or pumping out hi-NRG tracks on the turntable, he grew up discussing, sharing and learning about music from his dad. “My dad has been hugely influential to the whole thing,” he explains.
Intricate, carefully considered electronics that sketch out their own realm… an utterly enchanting piece of work. A record filled with countless intricate and carefully considered elements, and yet one that never feels cluttered, or at risk of losing its pervasive emotional resonance.
8/10 Clash
Varied in style, but with a unified vision, Family Portrait is a big success for Ross From Friends, a very personal and authentic piece of work.
8/10 Exclaim!
‘Family Portraits’ paints a vibrant and touching picture of what dance music can mean to people
4/5 NME
Ross From Friends' Family Portrait is an album you can easily disappear into from one of electronic music's most thrilling new talents.
8/10 PopMatters