Review: The Spider Ferns Outdo Their Trip-Hop Past with ‘SAFETY’ EP

Start with a trippy base of electronic swirls, dark chord progressions and toss the dreamy, alt-pop vocals of Kelly Fleek on top of it, and you get the interplanetary sounds of The Spider Ferns. They’re already known for their out-of-this-world sound, and their new release SAFETY solidifies them as a force to be reckoned with in the musical landscape.

I enjoyed several of the tracks off of their 2015 release, and was curious to see what they would do with this EP. Many times, a band will test the waters of changing their sound by following up a full-length recording with a drastically different-sounding EP. It’s always refreshing to hear a band that has not only found their sound and style, but owns that sound and dives in to create music that increases in quality with subsequent releases. SAFETY  is no exception.

It opens with the dark and moody “Stronger Still.” Kelly’s vocals float above the track like an object floating through space. The EP then moves into the dreamlike “Safety.” It picks up with a deep electronic rock groove with “In the Silence.” There’s a bit of surf that floats into “Worlds Will Fall,” which further emphasizes the dreamlike state that The Spider Ferns are intent on lulling you into. Audiosapian makes an appearance on the final track, “In Violet Bloom.” The bass groove on this final track is so succulent and tasty.

This is a solid EP. Between the atmospheric sounds, the etherial vocals of Kelly, and the tasty bass groove on the last track, you will not be disappointed.

(The SAFETY EP is available today via the Spider Ferns’ Bandcamp page. You can stream “Stronger Still” below.)