Words by Alice Beard
Boasting a rapturous display of warmth alongside their own unique chaotic charm, Flip Top Head announce the release of their long-awaited debut EP Up Like A Weather Balloon. Out for all to enjoy from 15th November via Blitzcat Recordings, this upcoming stretch of work distils the very essence of the Brighton six-piece into something touching and refreshingly off-kilter. With an honest hand of sensitivity and conviction, the band lead us deep into their tales of mystic characters and shadowy reflections within this collection.
Credit: Freddie J Willatt
Their first single So Much For Mole Catching frolicked through fields of optimism, bringing some much needed lightness. Loosely exploring the mundane moments you share with the one you love, the listener is able to create a vision of something heartfelt and beautiful from a subject otherwise so humdrum. With its gentle, jittering phrases teasing playful disorder, the track establishes the band’s ability to switch seamlessly between serenity and dramatic upheaval in a mere instant. Within only three minutes something infectious is concocted. Thankfully there’s much more where that came from.
The EP’s opener and second single, I Can’t Wait Until I’m Old, immediately pulls you in with its uncanny allure. Recorded with Theo Verney, this track remains pensive yet equally bold from the outset. With its funeral- march build, solemn trombones lead the assault in a frighteningly self- assured manner. The overarching sweetness of the track is only amplified by Bowie Bartlett’s saccharine vocal surges. Lyrically balancing the frivolities of childhood with the sudden, startling responsibilities of age, the piece posits the question “At what point does one stop wishing to be older?” With a hypnotic rhythm section lending its hand, the track is gradually built to the point of eruption, the bittersweet rapidly turning to something sour and eerie. This richly curated track forms the perfect introduction to the remainder of the EP.
'Up Like a Weather Balloon' EP artwork
Bertie Beer takes the helm in the following Weightlifter. Stemming from what was originally a poem written after a chance meeting with an ex- weightlifter during a twelve hour bar shift, the piece forms a hypothetical conversation between a mother and son discussing losing a sense of yourself to maintaining the ‘ideal’ body image. It glistens with the trademark warmth of any Flip Top track, shifting quickly to a compelling embrace.
Marie’s Interlude introduces a lovely spacey breather to both allow you to reflect on lessons learned so far, as well as preparing you for the wide expanse ahead. Expertly floating through, airy vocals lift the listener through a dreamlike state before effortlessly dragging you under the waves again as So Much For Mole Catching takes hold.
The softened opening to the later Parish Cafe Meetings offers no means of appropriate preparation for what the rest of the track entails. This tongue- in cheek tale tells the story of ‘a particular parish man who possesses no nails in his fingers’. As the story swirls and builds, it becomes thick with tension- a tension so thick it can only be cut by its series of chugging guitar scuffs and soft- waning vocal riffs. Throwing out quips of how the vicar in question has ‘lost his faith with God’, the humour effectively uplifts the beauty in the track’s composition. Concluding in a rousing tumult of noise, delightful latin- infused riffs raise this piece to oblivion.
Pulled from the archives, Jesse Paints the Houses is a warm hug to close off this collection of work. It sets out with delicate whispers, traipsing through the tender echoes of a once seventeen Bowie Bartlett’s mind. Fuzz-drenched guitar waifs slip within streams of synth and brass undertones, cavorting in the most gentle of dances. There is so much depth to this piece, a delicate tapestry weaving towards completion. In spite of all of these elements, it never becomes overwhelming. This is not a foreign concept when it comes to Flip Top Head’s music- they manage to strike a perfect balance every time. Every minute spills with exacerbation and passion, the final section culminating in a whirlwind of emotion, sweeping up everything around it. The result is something truly irresistible.
If you’re into your post-rock with some orchestral folk leanings, this is what you should sink your teeth into next. Wrapping up a multitude of elements, this offering is built from strength upon strength to create something stark and surreal. Up Like A Weather Balloon is equally haunting and uplifting in all of the right places. Flip Top Head might just be one of the most fascinating acts around at this very moment in time. This is just the beginning. Watch this space.
Flip Top Head live:
14 OCT // Amsterdam, Occii
15 OCT // Brussels, Super Fourchette
17-18 OCT // Rotterdam, Left Of The Dial Festival
19 OCT // Eindhoven, Stroomhuis
13 NOV // Brighton, Alphabet
15 NOV // London, Paper Dress Vintage
16 NOV // Colchester, The Minories
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