What does French for Rabbits sound like?

Dreamy indie folk that’s borrowed a ballroom string quartet fit for a royal dance.

The review of French for Rabbit – In the End I Won’t Be Coming Home

New Zealand is often recognised for its indie rock scene but there are some stunning dream pop bands and artists too. French for Rabbits returns after a two year gap with a piano-laden new EP. Bringing along a string quartet and a flute for the ride, the often pastel folk dressed music has morphed into something a little more chamber pop orientated. The penmanship, performance and emotions hold strong throughout the EP showing that French for Rabbits can turn their hand to different sounds with ease.

photo of French for Rabbits — French for Rabbits

The EP opens with the title track and it’s a cinematic piece. Starting with plucky strings, warm piano and a stiff regality to it, the track evolves over its duration into something rockier. As drums mount and explode over the ever-rousing strings and rising vocals, everything is grounded in folk but has the verbosity of a rock song. It is one of the best tracks the band has recorded to date, deserving of the EP title. The almost baroque string arrangments stay for the warm rustic folk of ‘Baring Head’. Here a rolling muffled drumset skips and trips over a Tanya Donelly Western folk ditty. Lead singer Brooke gives a soft and breezy performance that allows the country influences to twang and bounce.

Turning towards classic singer-songwriter territory is ‘Leech’. This chopped short melody evokes a classic rock song dressed in folk strings. The warm production shines here as the track turns from quiet confidence to power affirmation. The middle section builds into a mantra of singing “I don’t wanna let myself down” as the strings, guitars and drums swell around Brooke. The main riff afterwards is key shifted in a more powerful and positive key. It is very clever and elating to listen to. ‘Keep’ is the most indie pop of the EP. A light reggaeton shuffle beat is the backbone of the verse. Shimmering synths and light, airy, fluffy vocals make the choruses sound like a lost Mandalay track. It’s a cute track that cuts deep secretly with its lyrics. The final track ‘Claimed by the Sea was originally from their 2012 album. This is a different recording though, a shorter dreamgaze folk anthem of soft synths and theremins, acoustic guitars, layered vocals and an ambient blaze bubbling under the guitars. It is a beautiful rendition – lighter and more ethereal than the original.

Fans of French for Rabbits will adore this more string-focused direction for the EP. It fits into their sound perfectly by allowing other instruments to make room for them rather than removing elements of the band. The quintet have always been dreamy and ethereal and that hasn’t changed. It is just this time around instead of living in a dreamscape, I feel like we’re gliding through a 1700s ballroom. Beautiful and timeless quality.

Recommended track: In The End I Won’t Be Coming Home

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