“Nomadic outfit Fake Turins blend the poetic irreverence of Burroughs with the modern cynicism of David Foster Wallace. Governed under the shamanic fist of a psychedelic big-band ensemble. Requires some assembly.”
In a world where we are constantly fed perfection through the many media channels that surround us, flawless idealism is invariably portrayed as the ‘norm.’ Instead of questioning this, many are thrown by this glittery archetype, falling into inner turmoil wondering why it is they do not live up to these false ideals. In the past few weeks alone I have stumbled upon a few artists/bands all of whom are tackling this issue by asking us to question and challenge these pressures.
London-based Fake Turins construct their music around such topics, utilising their songwriting skills as a tool to encourage self-exploration. Formed by Dominic Rose less than two years ago, this 8-10 piece band were constructed from the fallout of many different London groups. With a much larger collective of rotating faces, Fake Turins plays on a as-and-when basis depending on the gig. Detailing the dynamics, Dominic has explained how “we’ve played 3 person set-ups with just violin, drum machines & vocals all the way up to the full 10 piece band – though there is about 15 of us gravitating around it.”
At the heart of writing for the band, Dominic also explained how he uses poetry as his expression to search for meaning. Sharing his findings through music he “focuses mostly on themes of morality, sense of self & other existential questions that you find in an intricate global world”
Second single Two of a Kind continues with the theme of media pressures. Featuring artwork courtesy of Dominic himself, the song is constructed around a smooth bass line where vocals are clear and prominent. Lyrics are discernible, contrasting the contained and reserved verses with jangly and eruptive chorus’ that asserts, “Fall boulevard, Leave the ones you are.” As explained to me by Dominic, this line is about “accepting change & breaking our preconceptions of ourselves, reflecting the videos slow disintegration into the psychedelic abandon.”
The concept of its video was made by both Dominic & Jack Satchell and is set to feed directly into the next release False Sympathies (due later this month!), whilst the imagery in the video is “a deconstruction of the idyllic life presented by the world around us – the ghost in the machine [my character in the video] is always present & unifying in our natures. ‘We’re all just Two of a Kind.’
As someone who constantly questions the world around us, I am persistent in the rationale that the answers we seek come from within. A concept I’m sure we are all aware of, but one that gets lost amidst exterior pressures. Fake Turins not only make memorable and catchy tunes, but they have something to say and I am looking forward to hearing more.
Check out their latest single above, watch the video below and grab your copy of Two of a Kind from here.
thelisteningpostblog.wordpress.com 
I was at first just going to pass this SOTD by, but I found myself liking the quirky but pleasing audio track. I then watched and listened to the well-produced video and thought it was really cool. Neat. Groovy. You know, “with it, man”! Those words seem to fit the theme of the video; it seemingly attempts to show what Ozzie and Harriet might look like in the future. The “message” I get from Fake Turins (if indeed there is one) is that it’s OK to enjoy living with rose-colored glasses, white picket fences, 2-1/2 kids and the dog in the “normal” world, if that’s your thing, regardless of the time. But it’s also cool if you just want to change it up to fit what’s really you – all you need to do is just flick the switch. The ghost won’t mind.
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I like what you got from this Paul. It’s great that it has resonated and made you think…it’s always good to be switched on and open to new ideas ☺️
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