Skinty Fia is an Irish phrase which translates to English as “the damnation of the deer” and the album’s cover art features a deer, plucked from its natural habitat and deposited in the hallway of a home, illuminated by an artificial red glow. The Irish giant deer is an extinct species and the band’s thoughts on Irish identity are central to Skinty Fia. While Dogrel was littered with snapshots of the Dublin characters -  like the cabbie in “Boys In The Better Land” - and A Hero’s Death documented the dislocation and disconnection the band felt as they traveled the globe on tour, on Skinty Fia Fontaines D.C. are addressing their Irishness from afar as they recreate new lives for themselves elsewhere. For a band whose hometown courses through their veins -  “D.C.” stands for “Dublin City” - the album finds them trying to resolve the need to broaden their horizons with the affection they still feel for the land and people they’ve left behind.

Brazilian techno artist Pedro Frazão, aka Kalif,  discovered the depths of electronic music in his hometown in 1996. After starting a career as a DJ, he moved to Dublin where he soon became a prominent figure in the Irish techno scene of the 2000s, playing in major clubs around the country. He also spun in legendary powerhouses in France, such as the Rex Club, and in Brazil’s main cities, before moving to Rio de Janeiro in 2003. In 2008, he released the independent album Banzo which got plaudits from local press. A year later, he decided to retire from the music world. 

After a long hiatus, and unexpected inspiration arising after the loss of loved ones, Kalif found himself immersed in music once again, and in May 2022 he released his second album, You Could Hear Broken Violins In the Wind. Boasting both downbeat, melancholic moments, as well as pure dancefloor cuts, it’s a matured collection of tracks and sounds that have inspired the artist’s journey. Since then, the now semi-retired DJ, has been producing and releasing tracks on a regular basis. Always ranging from melancholic and introspective sounds, to groovy and colorful techno. Kalif tends to focus more on melodic arrangements, regardless of the style of music he makes.

Ancient Junglist, Present Historian, Future Yunglist

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