Family Portrait
Felix Weatherall’s gorgeous debut as Ross from Friends showcases the influence of his musically inclined, rave-obsessed parents, who met on a European bus trip in 1990. Growing up experimenting with his father’s DIY sound systems and analog tapes inspired the hazy blend of lo-fi production and nostalgic house textures Weatherall realizes here. The whole thing flows beautifully: Beneath powdery drum beats and jangling bells on “Wear Me Down” there’s a serenity that glides into the meditative melody of “Family Portrait” and swells joyously before climaxing with free-spirited dance anthem “Pale Blue Dot.”
Having recently made his inaugural outing on Brainfeeder with “Aphelion EP”, British producer Ross From Friends aka Felix Clary Weatherall returns with his debut album on Flying Lotus’ label. "Family Portrait" is characterised by a perpetual desire to experiment and Felix's obsessive attention to detail, somehow marrying an intricately layered production style with warm, heavily saturated sonics that elevate, rather than stifle, his melodious funk. With a handful of revered 12”s under his belt via Breaker Breaker, Lobster Theremin, Distant Hawaii, Magicwire and a 10” on Molten Jets. “Family Portrait” showcases his ability to shift and evolve, moving from the world of lo-fi to the world of FlyLo, he demonstrates a versatility exemplified by the ease in which he can switch between playing shows with Little Dragon, holding down a peak-time slot in Berghain’s Panorama Bar and performing live at Maida Vale for BBC Radio 1. The culmination of almost two years of intense studio time, working 20 hour days, and often spending months perfecting just one aspect of a track. "I tried to be careful with every single sound” he explains, “Trying new things, making a bit more of an explosive sound”. The album also finds Felix recording his own voice for the first time, with the resulting tracks acting as snapshots of his personal life while recording. “Every time I went to make music the things which would really grab me are the emotional things, and while I’m in that place I felt I could really focus on the track. That was a massive part of this album, tapping into my emotions… into my emotional instability”. The album title - “Family Portrait” - also nods to a very specific personal aspect of the record: the influence of his parents. Dance music has always been a feature in Felix's life, with early memories of his dad producing music on his analogue set-up, or pumping out hi-NRG tracks on the turntable, he grew up discussing, sharing and learning about music from his dad. “My dad has been hugely influential to the whole thing,” he explains. However it was with the emergence of some old family VHS tapes, and the story of how Felix’s parents came to meet, that the true significance became clear. Having built up a sound system in the 1980’s while playing at various squat parties around London (including the then derelict Roundhouse) Felix’s dad decided he wanted to get out of the capital and see some of Europe. He got his hands on a bus and started putting word out through a network of like-minded friends and acquaintances. At the time just a friend of a friend, the trip caught the attention of Felix’s mum-to-be, who offered to document the whole thing in return for a seat, and in 1990 they loaded up the sound system and hit the road. Travelling through France, Belgium, West and East Germany (though returning through a unified one) and beyond, setting up in towns to share their passion for the sounds of hi-NRG dance, Italo disco and proto-Techno through spontaneous parties in whatever venue they could find.
On his debut album, the UK producer attempts to shake the shackles of “lo-fi house” in search of a more nuanced understanding of dance-music nostalgia, but he can’t quite escape the shadow of his influences.
Ross From Friends' debut album ‘Family Portraits’ paints a vibrant and touching of what dance music can mean to people
The British producer opens up his home movies on the surprisingly intimate Family Portrait
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When it pushes boundaries and dips its toe further into avant-garde territory, Family Portrait can be an immersive exploration of dance music.
After a handful of singles on various labels, as well as an EP for Brainfeeder, British producer Felix Clary Weatherall (Ross From Friends),...
Part of the vanguard of so-called lo-fi house (and perennial confusion- causer on festival lineups), Ross From Friends’ full length debut album
Take Ross from Friends' self-titled chilled-out debut album to your next house party - it's perfect for that end-of-night buzz.
Coming off the back of two game-changing releases in 2017's The Outsiders and this year's Aphelion EPs, there is a palpable level of excitement around...
Ross From Friends 'Family Portrait' album review by Leslie Chu for Northern Transmissions. The full-length comes out on July 27th via Brainfeeder.