Norwegian music producer FAKETHIAS will self-release his long-awaited debut album, Core Echo, on November 17th. He announces the album with lead single “Euphoria Loop” – a track that pushes at the outer limits of shoegaze, by mixing super-sweet vocal melodies and driving guitars with ultra-processed industrial textures.

Core Echo is written, performed and produced by FAKETHIAS (and co-produced by Vetle Junker), and it marks a bold new direction for an artist who’s made his name in the worlds of noise, ambient and experimental club music. His vision is to find pockets of beauty and harmony in the zones where opposing ideas clash, by combining his signature production techniques with more traditional songwriting done on a “shitty” guitar at home. “I’m way more inspired by accidents than anything else,” FAKETHIAS says, “I like creating the potential for beautiful mistakes.”

These are simple, warm and pleasing songs at their core, but surrounded by thick sonic weather. On “Skin”, his hypnotic vocals glide over skittering beats and evocative textures to create a feeling that’s altogether transcendent. “Navel” is a ghostly acoustic song with a subtle fuzz around its edges, whereas the titular song “Core Echo” is a wall of fierce and impenetrable noise that eventually resolves itself into a heartbreakingly tender refrain. This is a world-building album of stark contrasts, of electronic and analog, brightness and darkness, hope and devastation.

All tracks written & produced by FAKETHIAS

Vocal, programming, electric guitar, acoustic guitar and bass guitar by FAKETHIAS

Drums, bass guitar, additional electric guitar, violin, percussion and synth by Vetle Junker

Additional engineering and co-production (tracks 2-9) by Vetle Junker

Mixed and mastered by Henrik Haraldsen Sveen

Artwork by Sam Clarke

FAKETHIAS - Core Echo

Leap of Faith

Shell

Overhead Power Lines

Navel

Carousel

Core Echo

Today

Co-produced by Vetle Junker
Mixed and mastered by Henrik Haraldsen Sveen
Artwork by Sam Clarke

Euphoria Loop

Skin