Almost three years to the day since husband-and-wife duo The Know, released their sparkling debut they’re back with the aptly titled EP2. I was bowled over by wearetheknow upon its release. It’s blend of that shoegaze aesthetic with the Phil Spector wall of sound production made it pure ear candy.
I asked one half of The Know, Jennifer Farmer Knowles, to give us a flavour of what to expect with EP2.
“EP2 is lyrically full of relatable snapshots of love, loss, isolation, uncertainty, sadness and connection. Completed during the pandemic and in a time of intense isolation, the EP was produced by us both and mostly recorded in our home studio in a short span of time.”
The EP opens on the gentle and lulling ‘NCJC’. Farmer Knowles angelic voice against some spacious synth pads provide an atmospheric and soothing welcome. There’s something other worldly about the production of this track, with electronica bleeping and recorded phone voice eerily drifting in and out of the mix.
The peace is shattered by the boisterous intro to the sprawling epic that is ‘Used to Be’. A song dealing with the pressure placed on everyone’s relationships during lockdown. The production is big to match the engaging lyrical content on display. The vocals this time more powerful, more direct. Most certainly to be a foil for the bombastic guitars and percussion. I can’t get enough of this song, it’s emotional core hits home every listen.
The track neatly bookends with the intro to ‘Me’. This song also dealing with love in lockdown but this time a romance blossoms. Often the bass is just seen as an instrument that keeps time with the drums. Here its celebrated, the bass drives the whole song. The dreamy soundscape is built on its melodic foundation.
We follow this with the aptly named ‘You’ a song of love lost and regret. This one has a widescreen appeal that I’m sure will endear it to many TV producers. I can hear this soundtracking many a show in the future. The piano motif over the chorus is bright and so catchy. It adds the emotional musical hook that really lifts the vocal delivery.
The EP closes with ‘Just Say It’. This track sounds like an amped up Stars number. Again, the production is lush and detailed. So much to entertain your ear this will stand many repeated listens. At its core is the heartfelt vocal performance from Farmer Knowles. Just listen to how she lets loose when singing “Just fucking say it. I’d rather hear it and know you’re wrong”. What a great song to finish this listening experience.
With EP2 The Know have once again cemented their place as creators of detailed, nuanced and catchy dream pop. The lyrical content is just so damn relatable and when paired with the extraordinary production that Daniel Knowles is renowned for, you have something truly unique and special.
EP2 is out now on pink vinyl from The Know website or from their Bandcamp. The vinyl is limited top 143 copies only so if you want a copy, I’d recommend being quick.
You can follow The Know on social media here…
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