Early Grave, by Sans Merit

Early Grave

by Sans Merit

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Limited Edition 12" Vinyl
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12" black vinyl LP featuring artwork by Cameron Skelton

Includes unlimited streaming of Early Grave via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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1.	Friends Won't Kick 04:28		buy track
2.	Human in Age 02:58	info	buy track
3.	Dead Medal 02:48	info	buy track
4.	But I Know 04:31		buy track
5.	Weathered Men 02:45	info	buy track
6.	Rasslin 02:30		buy track
7.	Madness 04:33		buy track
8.	Pill Nye 04:05		buy track
9.	Gentle, Caring (& The Murmurings of Geoffrey Baron) 01:53		buy track
10.	Heaven's Gate 03:52	info	buy track
11.	Dark Lord 03:02		buy track
12.	Maniac 03:45		buy track
13.	Third Wicket 02:19		buy track

about

Birds chirp through a tape-hiss breeze atop a bed of airy pads, and a clear-eyed, forlorn guitar springs forth: this is the beginning of the debut album from Sans Merit, a new rock project from Griffin James, otherwise known as Francis Inferno Orchestra.
For over a decade, the Naarm (Melbourne) -raised—and now L.A.-based—producer has been indulging his indie and alt interests, and this fuzzed-out bedroom jangle-pop and shoegaze LP, Early Grave, is his first extensive deliverance.

The album represents a gestalt of sorts: years of approaching different genres and songwriting styles, and producing not “in the box,” with soft synths and samples, but with live instruments (and sometimes a band), has led to this focused and succinct thirteen-track musical journey.
In pursuit of a pure and low-key aesthetic, James recorded demos on phones and chose to rely heavily on budget instruments, clapped-out synths, and crappy amps, and would often cut tapes live in bedrooms, lay down vocal takes in closets and put microphones to broken speakers, all in part of the quest of using limited resources to create a truthful body of work.

The finishing touch is a thick coating of nostalgia ooze; soundbites from internet clips flitter throughout the record, and goofy sound effects flicker above like dying incandescent bulbs. A dream-pop album for our times: its lyrics are off-kilter romantic musings, sarcastic self-loathing mumbles, reflections on the un-realness of real life.

credits

released May 12, 2023

All music written & performed by Griffin James
Produced by Griffin James
Drums, Background Noise—Damon Palermo (tracks 5,7,8,10,11)
Drums—Jordan Dunster (track 1)
Additional Drums—Sam Eaton (track 10)
Recording Assistant (Drums)—Sam Eaton (tracks 5,7,8,10,11)
Mixed by Chris Mcfarlane
Mastered by Dan Gerbarg
Cover Artwork—Cameron Skelton
Layout and Design—Nik Mercer
A&R and Executive Production—Nik Mercer & Alex Ho
“Death is only a quiet door. In an old wall.”
ZEN 2000
ZEN06
2023

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about

Sans Merit Melbourne, Australia

Sans Merit is a dream pop/electronic/post punk project from Griffin James.

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Gorgeous album, keep going back to it. Hard to pick a favorite track because it's one of those where my favorite is whatever happens to be playing at that moment. energydiluted
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everything is alive
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Shoegaze ist die Kunst des Dröhnens, doch „Everything Is Alive“ setzt diese Elemente nur sparsam ein. Statt Hall- und Zerr-Sounds aufzutürmen, schäumt die Musik in feinen Bläschen über. https://tortue.substack.com/i/140348114/slowdive-everything-is-alive-dead-oceans Daniel Welsch
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I have listened to this whole album all the way through at least 2-3 days a week since I got it. It's strange and beautiful. Gabriel Sistare
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• GET a LIFE •
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Entirely analog, lush melodic pop with a tender heart from L.A. artist Human Barbie sounds bigger than the bedroom project it is. Bandcamp New & Notable Oct 22, 2020
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The Seams' jangly pop is full of lovely melodic twists and elegant turns-of-phrases delineating the quotidian details of love and romance. Bandcamp New & Notable Oct 5, 2018
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A gigantic tempest of sound, “Eternal Life Now” is harrowing art punk with dark corners & jagged edges. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 5, 2023
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It's a masterpiece! izumi Kurihara
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