David Fendick and Jonny Hooker, otherwise known as Fossil Collective, will be familiar to some as they were in the short-lived Leeds quintet Vib Gyor. Their fortunes though could be on the up. Their debut EP, Let It Go, was released in the summer and it’s been garnering plenty of attention since its release, which has lead to them earning a support slot with Civil Wars in late October/early November. The arrival of their second EP, On & On, couldn’t be better timed.
There is plenty to like. The title track has a real sense of purpose and has a few shades of Midlake here and there whilst ‘The Fog’ is incredibly tender. For a duo, they make more of an impression than you’d otherwise expect and there’s always the sense that they could go even bigger if they wanted to. ‘Rivers Edge’ is the kind of song that would benefit from more grandiose arrangements.
The aim of their sound is to take the listener into a different world. On & On isn’t quite the magical fantasy that they’re so desperate to envisage but with a bit more oomph it could be a perfectly achievable goal. Promising.
Words: Max Raymond