Man Without Country are a duo from Cardiff consisting of Tomas Greenhalf and Ryan James (with the addition of drummer Mike Monaghan for live shows).
Determined to work with fresh technology, rather than be in thrall to it, Man Without Country’s ten-song debut album Foe was produced entirely in Tomas’s bedroom. The album was mixed by Ken Thomas who previously worked with M83 and Sigur Ros. Their album was released in June. Five of the ten tracks are available for free download from the soundcloud player below.
The band name derives from a sense of not belonging, they say. That feeling is a constant theme throughout the album. According to James “Foe sums up the lyrics of the whole album, a very short three-letter word, for a quite hateful album.”
This sense lies at the root of their atmospheric, sometimes uneasy sonic palette. Glacial guitar ripples spliced with an eerie synth pulse, yet with the ability to morph into an anthem when you least expect it. Man Without Country play music that sucks you in and crawls under your skin.
I’m really excited to see the band perform live. Below is a live video of Puppets.
