Track Reviews // Tree House - Head Up High


Single (Memorials of Distinction, 29th April 2019) 

American-born, English-based artist Will Fortna hasn’t released new music under the Tree House moniker since 2017’s slinky, minimalist 5-track EP ‘Into The Ocean’. On ‘Head Up High’ though he’s lifted his gaze above the parapet, allowing new confidence into his DIY reimagining of West Africa’s synthetic disco and highlife breakthroughs.

Less self-serious than those previous efforts this single reveals the work that’s been done to taka the Tree House from a space for the bedroom producer to open mic his ideas to an arboreal chamber; rounding out crystalline post-punk edges with natural instrumentation. For a solo artist to let understated, sighing vocals shine for such a small part of the track is a power move; at its best recalling the sweet, simple melodies of Francis Bebey (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m56H4E5bZLk) or Steve Monite (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-2CyO8pc0E).

Silences in the mix aren’t blotted out with washy background but allowed to shine in the corners of the song’s dynamic structure; with peppy, sardonic guitar lines mingling in the space and a slick saxophone solo dancing into the foreground. The rhythm section holds true to the Weymouth/Byrne patterns (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKFn66dzdz0) laid out in the song’s verses but Fortna pushes out the wilder elements of the production and propels the brilliant saxophone work on to the end.

Throughout the interchange of eccentric elements the studied afrobeat fundamentals of Fela Kuti (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQBC5URoF0sand) William Onyeabor (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoUY_0-w9hQ) keep feet shuffling while heads crane up to hear the finer points of the expressive soloing – when the song ends at 4 minutes and change, you’re halfway to your feet and needing more, hopefully soon.

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