Biography

Emerging from London, England in the mid- to late 2000s as an up-and-coming indie pop band, Fanfarlo got their name out with a series of singles, a strong Internet presence, and an engaging live show that took them as far as the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. Citing influences such as Broken Social Scene, Pavement, Neutral Milk Hotel, Olivia Tremor Control, Belle & Sebastian, and Sufjan Stevens, the band comprises Simon Balthazer (vocals), Mark West (guitar), Leon Beckenham (trumpet), Cathy Lucas (violin), Justin Finch (bass), and Amos Memon (drums). They released their first single, Talking Backwards, in 2006 on Fortuna Pop. It was followed by You Are One of the Few Outsiders Who Really Understands Us/In the Trunk (2007, Fandango), Fire Escape/We Live by the Lake (2007, White Heat Records), and Harold T. Wilkins (2008, Felt Tip Records). The band released its debut album, Reservoir, in 2009. In 2012, Fanfarlo returned with its more synth and new wave-inspired sophomore effort, Rooms Filled with Light, which enjoyed many favorable reviews from the music press. The following year they released an EP, The Sea, which launched their exploration into the concept of human nature, taking a utopian, futuristic outlook of culture and science. Following the release of the EP, the band returned to the studio to record its third full-length album, Let's Go Extinct -- which continued along the same theme as The Sea. During sessions at the studio, drummer Amos Memon departed the group and was swiftly replaced by Valentina Magaletti. The completed album was released in early 2014. ~ Jason Birchmeier & Scott Kerr, Rovi