Xmas EP by Flunk
Beatservice Records mainstays Flunk set forth a special EP of Christmas covers in their own unique style, alongside a new Christmas version of their 2013 track 'Sanctuary'. It's an almost impossible task to try to stamp your own mark on songs that have so much meaning for people. Most have known classics like 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen' and 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas' throughout their whole lives. Few do remakes like this well, but Flunk have managed to pull off that rare feat of conjuring up a distinctive, earthly set of reimaginations, staying true to themselves whilst giving a different take on the originals.
Across the four covers that take in 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen', 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas', 'Silent Night', and 'Wish Upon A Star', producer Ulf Nygaard, guitarist Jo Bakke, vocalist Anja Øyen Vister, and bassist Ole Kristian Wetten, burrow down into the essence of both these songs, and of Christmas itself. A celebration that in modern times has been overrun by commercialisation and excess, Flunk strip the songs back to their core elements.
As with much of their work, Flunk have an ability to make even the most minimal of components resonate with depth and body. Guided by Anja's celestial and striking voice, carrying the candle at the front, each track has the air of simpler times. Close your eyes and you could be in a fire-lit tavern as Anja and Ulf duet 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen' accompanied by a gently plucked guitar. Or a reverberating church hall as 'Wish Upon A Star' soundtracks the snow settling outside. Deft touches like acoustic guitar and strings on 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas' instantly transport you to another time, bringing back memories of magical moments.
To close out the EP, Flunk serve up a beatless, emotionally charged Christmas version of their track 'Sanctuary'. Layered with an ethereal choir, delicate piano melodies, and Anja's striking lead vocal tones, it's a fitting reimagination of their 2013 hit.
Staying true to the spirit of Christmas, Flunk have masterfully transformed a set of Christmas classics in a way that is unmistakably theirs, while preserving the heart of the originals.
Tracklist
| 1. | God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen | 2:53 |
| 2. | Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas | 2:21 |
| 3. | Silent Night | 5:44 |
| 4. | Wish Upon A Star | 1:52 |
| 5. | Sanctuary (Xmas Version) | 2:50 |
