Cities Of Foam

I thought it might be good to write a little bit about each track on the album, as we didn’t do any sleeve notes. Where the ideas came from, what we think of the tracks, who contributed etc.

Soon, probably.

1. Last Man Standing

Intro sound is an effect on Todd’s guitar box, sort of step phaser. I think this was the inspiration for the track, which originally came out on a 12″ on the now defunct Bolshi Records.

Then the cheesey vocal hook was a sample of Brian Yatman from an old song we worked on, processed through Reaktor. Believe it or not, this was a less cheesey version of the vocal, there was one that went completely chipmonk! We were trying to come up with something a bit more uptempo and catchy rather than our usual laid back stuff.

Kieran Ridgers added the sax, which gives the track a slight jazzy feel.

2. Barry Can’t Do Flat Tops

Favourite song title on the album. We worked on this with trombonist Eddie Rieband, who wrote the latinny brass parts. We were trying to do something upbeat and dancey as we alway end up doing slow stuff, but it still ended up being pretty chilled out. Nice fat dubby bass sound in there. Plus lots of horns getting excited at the end. With an acoustic guitar solo thrown in for good measure.

3. Out of Reach

This was the first song we worked on with Nia and ended it up being a personal (SM) favourite on the album. Great open tuned acoustic guitar part, with a made-to-measure vocal.

We knew we’d have to ask Nia back for more recording after this session. Cello and viola melodies add depth and interest. This was the track that made Record of the Week on iTunes and got over 100,000 downloads.

4. Half Empty

This started out life as an mbira riff and acoustic guitar groove which we jammed in the garden one day when the sun was shining. A little spinkling of electronic fairy dust gave it that CoF shine. We changed the beat quite a lot when we mixed the track with Robin 12tree,  which gave it the hip hop feel. This one would sound great with some lyrics / laid back rap.

5.  Girls in Bars

Todd’s a big fan of Girls in Bars. I like the huge distorted bass and the contrast between the groove and the guitar break. I like to think it’s a little bit John Zorn, but not in the same extremeness league!

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Reviews

I like to think that now you can preview music online, reviews are less important than they once were. But no doubt they still point people in the right direction and help to build awareness of new music.

A Great Day For The Race was largely ignored by the press although we had a few good reviews in specialist magazines and on the web. Our biggest success to date was probably having single of the week on iTunes, which meant over 100,000 people downloaded Out Of Reach.

This was one of the best reviews, posted on beatlife that made us happy:

Cities of Foam “A Great Day For The Race” (Dorado Records)

Cities of Foam is the duo of Bristol-dwelling Todd Wills and Sam Menter. They’ve known each other since a young age and no doubt this chemistry helps explain the wondrous results of their musical pairing. Musically A Great Day… is situated somewhere in the realm of downtempo, but somehow that tag doesn’t do justice to this collection of beautifully lush soundscapes that go beyond your preconceived notions of said genre. Their electronic-meets-live instrumentation approach is bound to draw comparisons with the likes of Zero 7 but that would be misleading since Cities of Foam manage to be equally laid back but simultaneously sounding more dynamic and vibrant. Their music has been described as “ear wateringly good pastroral dream funk” and that pretty much hits it on the head, exemplified quite perfectly by the opening track “Last Man Standing.” “Barry Can’t Do Flat Tops” is a slightly more moody, dubby piece that recalls the influence of fellow Bristolians Massive Attack, but even then Wills and Menter put their own spin on it with the unexpected introduction of a flamenco-style acoustic guitar riff.
The album is mostly instrumental but the smoky vocals of Nia Lynn, complemented by mournful strings and acoustic guitars make for a magical blend on “Out of Reach.” Other highlights include: the insinuating funk of “Girls in Bars”; the simmering, cheeky jazz of “Goldtop”; “Liquid Remedy’s” exotic world music vibe and Oleambi’s brisker paced, yet equally emotive backdrop.
A Great Day For The Race is refreshing listening, and is remarkably compelling throughout. It’s clear that the pair has no shortage of musical ideas, but they come across with channeled exuberance, creating an album that remains cohesive but packed with vision. A great moment in music.