by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
Melbourne’s Sleeper & Snake are set to release their second album, Fresco Shed, on September 25th via Upset The Rhythm and LuLu's Sonic Discs, a record that is destined to be among the fall’s best releases. The duo of Amy Hill and Al Montfort (who between them play in Terry, Lower Plenty, Constant Mongrel, and Primo!) have created a creaky psych folk record that is built as much on no-wave as anything traditionally song-based… and yet folk music it is at its core. It’s in this unwieldy approach that Sleeper & Snake sound distinct, taking discordant cello, keys, and horns to create a back drop for acoustics and their voices. The lo-fi recordings are reminiscent White Fence and Monfort’s Lower Plenty, opting for something that feels surreal yet grounded. There are unexpected twists to be heard at every turn, but no matter the noise that permeates throughout, their songs land with well crafted lyrics and folk tradition set in reverse.
Following the excellent “Flat Falling,” the band are sharing the humming bliss of second single, “Reach Out”. Built on a sustained whirring courtesy of a Wurlitzer organ, the song combines a post-punk jangle with an underwater reverberation. The band combine the floating sound with a more grounded acoustic guitar and their signature doubled vocals and alliteration heavy lyrics. The song is sweetly sung, warped and bubbling, but with a classic sun fried folk feeling, like a pair of troubadours lost on an endless trip. The song eventually fades away with into the high end squeal that’s been providing the rhythm underneath the layers from the start. It’s a great song that fits perfectly into the record’s complex shape.
Speaking about the song, Montfort shared:
“I think this song is about the things people consume themselves with when they aren't working or creating. I guess for most people it's more money or consumerism which devastate/stresses people after they are done covering rent. People can get so violent in reaching for these abstract things. Overcoming trauma, violence and escaping violence are other possible themes of this song.”