“Homefree” is, technically, the third long player from prolific producer Fanu aka Janne Hatula, Finland’s biggest drum & bass star. The first was “Focused Mind” under his now defunct Fanu Samurai monikor, which was eventually re-packaged as monster double-pack called “Daylightless”, containing both “Focused Mind” and a whole suite of new drum & bass tracks.
“Homefree” is a 13-track, mostly drum & bass affair. The album kicks off with the epic “Amok”, which has received much DJ support over the last 12 months; It’s a very cinematic, edgy, emotional track with a beautiful melody and haunting vocals. Fanu’s take on the do-the-do break is really phenomenal in this track; I’ve never heard it sound quite so punchy. As a bit of a surprise, the track concludes with a heavy amen brothers workout to complete what is probably one of his biggest tracks since the mighty Siren Song.
“And I Find It There” harks back to the Fanu Samurai project with his mid-tempo drums, ethnic instruments and unusual melodies.
“Where It Rains Blood”, which was previously a single on Lightless, is a homage to the latest David Lynch film INLAND EMPIRE. The vocals are used to great affect to build a lot of tension before Fanu takes us through a definitive lesson on how to program drums. It’s a pretty intense, edgy, crazy track and really stands out.
“Burning The Bridge” is another excellent example of Fanu’s ability to effortlessly switch styles and create really cinematic-sounding music. The track has really heavy, pounding drums and a growling double bass, all used to great effect.
“Cry4u” is, I think, one of Fanu’s first vocal tracks, featuring Swervez, and follows Amok’s emotional, melodic tones, but with the addition of some very nice vocals.
“End Of An Era” is an excellent 90s sounding atmospheric Amen Track, which is reminiscent of something Boymerang would have written for the landmark drum & bass album, Balance Of The Force. A nice track that quickly brings back memories of the old GLR days.
All in all, this 15-track album highlights Fanu’s tireless dedication to his craft; A very detailed, moving, and impressive piece of work.
“Homefree” was released in August 2009 on lightless recordings.
Links
Buy Homefree from Juno Records
Buy Homefree in MP3 Format from Digital Tunes.net
Buy Homefree in MP3 Format from RawRip
Buy Homefree from the itunes store
http://www.fanumusic.com/ – The Official Fanu Site
http://www.myspace.com/fanubreaks – Fanu Myspace Page
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