If you don’t already fux with Fono, it might be time to sit down and restructure your priorities. The UK artist made quite the entrance last year, breaking out on the back of his love-at-the-highest-standards tune, “Real Joy,” which won over the hearts of countless top-level artists. It was the kind of splash every aspiring artist hopes for, and he’s now ready to add to the buzz he’s built through the forthcoming release of his debut EP.
Kinetic is set to hit the streets next month, with help from Insomniac Records and Polydor. Before then, Fono is flinging out the first bit off the five-tracker, which arrives in the form of “Feet on the Ground.” It’s a fresh and fizzling slice of sexy, with its woozy synth sequences and spry bounce sitting neatly next to the track’s level-headed lyrics. It’s one of the freshest bits we’ve heard in a hot minute, and it’s now ripe and ready for your listening pleasure. Rather than simply dropping the stream, though, we thought it would be wise to hear directly from Fono to get the scoop on his new single.
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You’ve got a new single coming out this week on Insomniac Records/Polydor. Can you provide some context on how “Feet on the Ground” came to be?
Mainly, with my love for epic ‘80s analog synth lines, I got the opportunity to use an awesome studio, which was full of analog gear when I started writing it, and I just got properly stuck in. Once I had all the melodic stuff down, I got in the studio with a good friend of mine to write and record the vocals, and we got something down we were both really into within a day.
The main message of the song is about staying grounded, even when you’re put in situations you’re not used to and don’t know how to deal with, and that ultimately feeling lost isn’t always a bad thing; there’s a positive side to everything.
Describe the type of listener and/or setting you had in mind when the tune was merely a project file on your computer.
On another planet looking into the distance at something beautiful, which you can’t really explain.
The track is pulled from your debut EP, due out next month. How long has this release been in the making? What sort of reactions have you been getting from the advance listens you’ve sent around?
Yeah, it’s taken a while to get everything on there how I wanted it, but it’s been loads of fun—and a big learning curve getting out of my own studio (and comfort zone), writing it in different places across the US and UK with some super talented artists and friends alike.
Reaction-wise, it’s kinda cool, actually. They’ve been pretty awesome so far; there are a couple of slightly more club-focused tracks on there, too, which I’ve been testing out a bit, and the crowd response has been wicked. So, all in all, pretty excited for this to be out there.
Are there plans to shoot a music video for this one? If so, do you intend to match the intensity we saw from the visual for your breakout tune, “Real Joy”?
Yes, there’s a music video. All I’m giving away is that it’s equally cinematic. You’ll have to wait and see.
On the performance side of things, you’ve been busy working on your own For the Future concept. Do you mind putting our readers up on the event series and why it’s an important pursuit for you?
We did a first show to test the waters back in April in my old hometown of Brighton with Karma Kid, Lxury, and salute (and myself), which was sick; the turnout and the vibe of the crowd were perfect.
The concept behind it is to promote forward-thinking yet accessible music that doesn’t follow the grain. I think that’s really important right now, mainly because there’s less originality in crossover electronic music than ever and way too much of the same people copying other people. It’s not what creating art has ever been about.
Looking forward, we’ve got some big things planned for the rest of the year, which I’m really excited to announce. Watch this space.
You started out as a promoter yourself. Have there been any advantages or tricks you’ve gotten from learning the ropes from the inside?
It’s helped a lot putting together For the Future; knowing all the basics of running a simple club night are pretty useful when it comes to building your own brand.
From an artist perspective, it definitely makes you far more on top of it with which shows are right for you to play and which ones aren’t. I think it’s pretty important to nail that when you’re up and coming.
What are some of the long-term and short-term goals you’re reaching for as an artist or otherwise?
I think the ultimate goal would be to cement myself in the electronic music world as someone who created a sound, rather than followed one.
Short term: get sponsored by Krispy Kreme.
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