Taken as a musical prospect on its own, be with me is impressive enough. Pair that with the sentiment behind it and the weight of the accompanying short film, and it’s genuinely remarkable.
Acting, essentially as the score to the film, this short EP is “about unexpected loss and attitudes towards death, revolving around the shock in the immediate aftermath of a loved one’s passing.”
Eerie and atmospheric, each song bleeds into the next, and it feels like one long movement rather than a collection of individual pieces. Their songs feel so intrinsically bound to each other that it feels like a set. Which we guess every album/EP is. But this one feels….different…
Largely instrumental, it sits stylistically between ambient, dreampop, folk, indie, bedroom pop, drone, slowcore and post-rock. It’s difficult to pigeonhole (as good art often is) and recalls the work of artists as varied as Steven Anthony, A Silver Mt Zion, The Smiths and Stegonaute. Wonky, woozy, persistent, brilliant – it feels like a short, sharp breath of fresh air and a long exhale all at the same time.
We don’t want to say too much about the actual music because we really think the whole thing should be enjoyed together, but, as a brief summary, we’d say that the opening tune Before Again is tender, haunting and emotive.
The second song – Wake – is hazy, mysterious and distinctive. Baklelite is an ambient interlude which links Wake to Torment, which is another extremely individualistic piece.
Ephialtes comes next, and it’s a stark, striking drone piece that morphs eventually into a bewitching acoustic guitar duet. It’s followed by Reach Out – which, whilst short-lived, feels like a highlight. The title track follows and comes across a little bit like a reprise of Wake – one of only two songs to feature any vocals (which remind us of the excellent Son, Ambulance). Full of ambience and atmosphere, it’s probably the most conventional “song” here.
Lastly, we encounter I’ll See You Soon – a charming little section of the EP, less than a minute long, that rounds the whole thing off beautifully. And then of course, there’s the film.
The accompanying short film is also beguiling in its own unique way. Shot around the rather breath-taking Blue Mountains area of Sydney, it’s a scenic, stunning piece of work that’s rooted in nature and introspection. With some stunning shots and an occasionally harrowing narrative (one of the protagonists spends a lot of the time around death) and interesting symbolism, it’s worth a watch all by itself. When combined with the music, it makes for quite an experience. Tonally, the pair blend together perfectly with the mood always simmering, low, slow and steady.
fleecepantwarm is the work of songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Alexander Balcar-Smith. Abley, assisted by producer Oliver Ashby, has made this distinct artistic vision come to life. Vivid and strangely lifeaffirming (especially considering the obvious moroseness of it all) be with me feels like some kind of victory for the sullen.
There’s also a lovely live acoustic version shot in a multi-story car park on YouTube, which is well worth 12 minutes of your time. What an unexpected gem.
Written by Kinda Grizzly
