This is the first release from Fol Chen’s third album False Alarms, coming out in March, and judging from this track the new record promises to be a far more mature work than their previous two. I was surprised to hear such kind of a minimalistic tune from the same formation that did "In Ruins" and "The Holograms". This track shows a new side from the usually quite eccentric LA experimentalists, one where they have taken the turn for more downbeat, constrained and commercial sound.

"200 Words" opens with a minute-and-a-half-long gloomy intro that gradually evolves into an interesting mixture of indie pop, ambient and  progressive beats, maintaining the dark intense feeling throughout the whole six-something minutes, which is heavily enforced by Sinosa Loa‘s haunting voice. Her vocals resemble contemporary rendition of a Gregorian chant, which elevates the track above the mere electro-pop designed to make the charts.

Fol Chen use the term "opera house" to describe their own genre and in this tack I kind of see where they are coming from.  Based on this song I would expect a great third album and to get a taste you can download "200 Words" for free on their site.

posted by Iva
February 2013