FAWN HAUS: A Love Letter To The Synth & Shoegaze Sounds
Eau Claire dream pop ensemble just released its debut EP, 'what the sun don’t know, won’t hurt it'
Evelyn Nelson, photos by Frank H. Robinson |
Perhaps you've been a regular at The Venue (209 Graham Ave., Eau Claire) this past year, to witness the Chippewa Valley’s upcoming or seasoned performers light up the stage.
In that case, you've likely seen the quiet emergence of Fawn Haus, one of Eau Claire’s latest dream pop – at times glittery – and vivacious bands on the scene.
On April 10, Fawn Haus released their debut EP – what the sun don’t know, won’t hurt it – with a live performance at The Stones Throw (304 Eau Claire St.) in downtown Eau Claire.
Fawn Haus is a collective of four area instrumentalists: Crystal Harms (vocals, synth), Jim Hamblin (guitar, synth), Rob Piotrowski (bass, sampler) and Hannah Egge (percussion, backup vocals).
Its members bring diverse musical backgrounds to the project, many with shared prior experiences in cover bands throughout the Midwest and Chippewa Valley.
As they began with humble open jam sessions, the songwriting process as Fawn Haus became largely collaborative – evident through each song on the new EP.
“We started out as a cover band and we still play covers… we are trying to get to the point where we are playing all originals,” Piotrowski said. “We are definitely trying to incorporate a lot more synth – it’s very common in new age indie bands.”
A synthesizer (synth) is an electronic musical instrument which generates audio signals which can be transformed to create a vast spectrum of soundscapes – from traditional instruments to entirely new textures.
Fawn Haus, the group members agreed, has devoted much of its efforts to showcase the value of synth additions to the Eau Claire music landscape.
“I like that (the synth is) just something different, I feel like it’s not something you see a lot locally – it is cool to be like one of the only multi-instrument bands,” Harms said.
In addition to the shoegaze-inspired sounds Fawn Haus brings to their live shows, what the sun don’t know, won’t hurt it offers listeners compelling narratives. These stories, the band shared, are grounded in fantasy, horror and draw inspiration from creative mediums including cinema.
In the case of “Hell In High Heels” and “Space Accordion,” the first two singles of the new EP – released earlier this year – both reveal campy and fantastical stories.
“The story of ‘Space Accordion’ is pretty cool,” Harms said. “The idea is (that) when you die, you go to the moon and there is this dude that plays an accordion; he plays his song (and) your life flashes before your eyes...”
Audio engineering for the EP was supported by Lena Sutter of Eau Claire, whose talents can be heard on solo acoustic acts, classical ensembles to underground punk bands.
It’s also worth noting the EP cover art was hand-painted by Egge, who drew influences from daydreaming and the secrets one keeps from the daylight.
With a foundation in music theory, Hamblin helps guide Fawn Haus to both refine its desired sound and welcome opportunities for the band to evolve, he said.
“To their credit, they are really good at knowing what they want to hear,” Hamblin said of his bandmates. “Crystal has steered in a shoegaze direction on some sounds.”
Through continued collaboration, the members of Fawn Haus continue to find new ways to enhance both their individual and shared voices. With the help of continued support from the city they call home, their passion to create and celebrate synth-influenced sounds has only grown, the group said.
With this in mind, audiences at The Stones Throw were able to listen to what the sun don’t know, won’t hurt it live, in all of its splendor – plus score newly made CDs and other Fawn Haus merchandise.
“Playing for people that have an appreciation for not only music, but (also) art, is cool. It’s inspiring,” Harms said, “It makes me care about what we do, because people care about it and do show up to our shows.”
The bright and energetic soundscapes of Fawn Haus permeated the room and will continue to do so in many more of the Valley’s local music hubs, inviting locals to dance and sing along.
what the sun don’t know, won’t hurt by Fawn Haus is available to stream on Bandcamp and major platforms. Stay up to date with the band’s next live shows in the Chippewa Valley, through social media (@fawnhausband).
