Dutch musician Felbm has an interesting relationship with technology.
He typically puts his songs together using a Tascam 4-track cassette recorder; a technology that made its debut at about the same time I did. Which is to say, a long time ago. But like me, the Tascam is a classic, and has stood the test of time despite being rendered “obsolete” by newer technologies. Plenty of contemporary bands still use 4-track tapes for making demos, and sometimes even for full albums; Iron & Wine used one to record their first record.
Felbm’s recording tech, in combination with his simple instrumentation, gives his music a faux-retro feeling, as if it’s been treated with the audio equivalent of an Instagram filter. A bit like the work of Boards of Canada or, to a lesser extent, Tycho.
Technology is also responsible for Felbm’s unusual stage name: the artist’s real name is Eelco Topper, but when he typed his name into a Nokia phone, it autocorrected to “Felbm.”
If you ask me, “Eelco” would have been a cool enough name. But if “Felbm” is what happens when his name is filtered through retro technology, then I guess that works.
What makes this a beautiful song:
1. The earthy, finger-picked acoustic guitar keeps things organic.
2. The main synth line contrasts that organic guitar with its warbling, syncopated melody.
3. Despite its dance-track-quick tempo, the quirky drum machine that keeps time is so gentle that it sounds more like a dance party for robots that are trying not to wake the humans.
Recommended listening activity:
Re-arranging your desk so that your oldest and newest electronics are placed right next to one another.