Faunts

Faunts is an electronic rock band, formed in 2000 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, by Paul Arnusch and brothers Steven and Tim Batke. Faunts creates ambient music by arranging electronic beats with rock music, synthesizers, and drums. In 2009 the band was described as "slow-motion shoegazers reborn as purveyors of luminous and deeply affecting electronic pop."[1]

Faunts
OriginEdmonton, Alberta, Canada
GenresElectronic rock, space rock, post-rock, dream pop
Years active2000–present
LabelsKinsella Recordings
Associated actsDVAS, Mark Templeton, Duplekita
MembersSteven Batke
Tim Batke
Paul Arnusch
Past membersJoel Hitchcock
Rob Batke
Scott Gallant

History

Faunts was formed in the fall of 2000 by musicians Paul Arnusch, Steven Batke, and Tim Batke. Their debut album, High Expectations/Low Results, was released in 2003 by Friendly Fire Recordings and was met with a positive reception.[2][3]

In 2005, the band began writing their first EP, M4. Faunts desired to have their music crafted to accompany short films for the Film and Video Arts Society.[4][5] Keyboardist Joel Hitchcock and mixer Rob Batke joined the band, and Dave Swanson and Nathan Seattler assisted with writing the album's lyrics.[2] M4 released in 2006 and achieved notoriety when the song "M4, Pt. II" was featured in the final credits of BioWare's 2007 video game Mass Effect.[6][7] This raised the band's profile and "a sizeable new audience was exposed to Faunts’ moody, subdued melodies." [8]

On November 18, 2008, Faunts released a remix album titled Faunts Remixed, featuring remixes by acts such as Mark Templeton and DVAS.[9] [10] This was followed by their second full studio album, Feel.Love.Thinking.Of, [1] which was released on February 17, 2009 and is the result of songwriting over the course of touring across America. The song "Das Malefitz" was featured during the final credits of Mass Effect 3. On November 17, 2012 the band released "Left Here Alone", described by a press release as "an offering of a handful of unreleased yet essential songs that fill in the empty spaces between High Expectations/Low Results and M4 in Faunts' evolutionary map. Listening to this record is like traveling through the band's back catalogue."[11]

Between Feel.Love.Thinking.Of and Ostalgia, Tim Batke formed the band Duplekita with fourteen friends from other bands, and Rob Batke left Faunts indefinitely to pursue a solo career under the pseudonym Artisan Loyalist.[12][13][14]

On February 12, 2016 Faunts announced the upcoming release of Ostalgia, "a five-volume compilation of new music." Volume 1, released August 12, 2016, is a five-part song titled "Thirty-Three," the sound of which hearkens back to the band's early work while exploring new musical territory.[15][16] On September 9, 2017, Faunts announced on their Facebook page they were "Busy working on Volume 2 and are planning to release a new single soon." [17]

Members

Current

Former
  • Joel Hitchcock - keyboard
  • Rob Batke - keyboard, laptop
  • Scott Gallant - bass

Discography

Studio albums

EPs
  • M4 (December 11, 2007) [18]
  • Left Here Alone (November 17, 2012) [18]
  • Ostalgia, Volume 1 (August 12, 2016) [19]

Remix albums
  • Remixed (November 18, 2008) [9]

See also

References
  1. Stuart Berman (February 23, 2009). "Faunts Feel. Love. Thinking. Of". Pitchfork. Condé Nast.
  2. "The Gospel of 'Faunts' According to Matthew". Life Without Pants.
  3. Album Review Allmusic.
  4. Tara Zurowski (September 20, 2006). "Faunts dream up a soundtrack for M4". Vue Weekly (570 ed.). Archived from the original on 2009-02-21.
  5. Tomas Palermo (February 6, 2008). "Faunts Drop New EP, Album in 2008". XLR8R. Archived from the original on February 7, 2008.
  6. Michael Schmitt (2009). "Review: Faunts - Feel.Love.Thinking.Of". Soundcheck Magazine. Archived from the original on 2009-08-25.
  7. "See Magazine preview of M4". Archived from the original on 2007-02-28.
  8. "BioWare Has A 'Mass Effect' On Local Edmonton Band 'Faunts'". G4tv. February 13, 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-11-22.
  9. Amelia Raitt (2015). "Faunts, Remixed". eMusic.com Inc. Archived from the original on 2018-03-10.
  10. Cam Lindsay (November 14, 2008). "Faunts Faunts Remixed". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012.
  11. Alex Hudson (November 18, 2012). "Left Here Alone (EP Stream)". Exclaim!. Exclaim!.
  12. "DUPLEKITA". KINSELLA RECORDINGS. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
  13. "About". ARTISAN LOYALIST. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
  14. "Any news on the Faunts album that was to... - David Cunnington | Facebook". Facebook.com. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
  15. Kinsella Recordings (2016-02-10). "Faunts Join Kinsella Recordings". Archived from the original on 2016-06-24.
  16. Faunts. "Ostalgia Volume 1".
  17. "Facebook". Facebook.com. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  18. "Faunts". Discogs. 2015.
  19. "FAUNTS". KINSELLA RECORDINGS. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
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