This One Time, On Bandcamp: Fortunes

Another week has passed — and, boy, what a week it was — but before another dawns on us and we all^[1] commence the dance of the daily grind once more, it's worth slowing down, kicking back, and enjoying a fresh slice of underrated independent Aussie(ish) goodness with another installment of This One Time, On Bandcamp!

Granted, we spotlit an artist from Melbourne last week in troubadour Gaylord Smith, but this week's artist represents a significant sonic shift and, besides, these guys made the leap across the ditch from Auckland to settle in Victoria so it's not even technically the same.

Some of you will already be aware of this emergent, eclectic R&B duo, as they've been on a solidly upwards trajectory, earning accolades and attention from several sources in recent times, but we feel they're still sufficiently under the radar to warrant their own showcase in this series.

Say hello to Fortunes.

Fortunes — Melbourne, Victoria (via auckland, new zealand)

The collective pursuit of Melbourne-based, NZ-bred pair Conor McCabe (vocals) and Barnaby Matthews (production), Fortunes put a glitchy, wonky spin on downtempo, chilled-out trap/R&B vibes, a fact that stands as immediately obvious from the outset of their newest EP, Jacket.

Over the looping, lurching backing synths of opening cut Bomber, Matthews jams in stop-start electronic drums, expertly placed skips, and detours into discord, while McCabe demonstrates flair and ability at both ends of the pitch scale, eschewing here the oft-relied-on crutch of auto-tune to provide meaty lows and powerful highs all on his lonesome. Even his stray wanderings into falsetto territory are a delight as the song makes its way towards an unexpected shift in tone nearly three-quarters of the way through its duration.

The band are not content to play in sonic sandpits that have been pissed in by their forebears; instead, they shirk (or at the very least willfully mess with) pop convention in their arrangements and even lyricism, as when rattling off pop-cultural/musical references in the excellent, multidirectional Justin Bieber. Minimalism runs heavy throughout Fortune's cuts, the pair of musicians repeatedly demonstrating the inescapable power of absence through their frequently stark, but never lacking, arrangements.

Jacket's predecessor, the Hoodie EP, isn't quite as heavy-handed with the R&B aspects that sit so prominently atop the new release, but it remains an engaging listen throughout its four tracks and stands as a worthy entrant in the oeuvre of a band with remarkable direction and maturity, given they are still at a relatively formative stage of performing together.

If you're the sort who could drone forever about how wonderful Drake and The Weeknd are, look a little closer to home for some local stuff to impress you in future — there's plenty floating about — and, better yet, start with Fortunes.

Fortunes are about to hit their former stomping ground of New Zealand for a three-date run of shows from 3 March. Be sure to swing their Facebook page a like to stay on top of their movements when they return to Australia and turn their eyes towards local stages once more.

Releases

Jacket — EP, Feb 2016

Hoodie — EP, Jan 2015

Got an independent, unsigned band? Got a Bandcamp page (because the title really doesn't work without it)?

Let us know if you want us to listen to your tunes, and you might get featured in a future edition of This One Time, On Bandcamp!