MUSIC MONDAYS

Anthem Facility is the latest creation of NYC-based producer Stephen Hermann, who has been making music for over 20 years. He first emerged in the industry as a member of the group Sukpatch, whose lo-fi pop was recorded at home with cheap keyboards, samplers, and a 4-track cassette recorder, long before elaborate home studios would become commonplace. After signing to the Beastie Boys’ Grand Royal label in 1997, the group disbanded, but Hermann continued to work with Sukpatch’s original label Slabco.

Despite being a competent multi-instrumentalist, Hermann hardly considers himself a musician. He spends countless hours experimenting with modem and vintage recording methods, production techniques, and synthesizer programming. His meticulous approach and dependence on outsourced session musicians can be compared to Steely Dan’s pop craftsmanship that transcends genre. Some sonic influences are the dense atmospherics of My Bloody Valentine, Brightblack Morning Light and the bouncy, breezy French House sounds of Etienne de Crecy or Daft Punk.

With the release of Anthem Facility’s debut EP Trace, the diversity of those influences is evident. With Malay offering her distinct lead vocals throughout the five songs on the EP, the same chemistry that drew so much attention and acclaim in their song’s first appearance is on full display.

Trace is the first in a series of releases planned from Anthem Facility. It also marks the first full release from Hermann’s label exro.fm, which will be releasing the EP digitally and on vinyl in late summer 2011.

OR MORE INFO VISIT:

exro.fm
myspace.com/missmelatimalay
myspace.com/anthemfacility
explosionrobinson.com