Femme En Fourrure are the Helsinki futuristic electro pop duo that you won’t be able to get enough of.
Femme En Fourrure’s sound is nothing short of a labyrinth. Using synthetic samples with spiritual highs and bright twangs, Femme En Fourrure layer their mellow dance basslines (less club, more intergalactic beats) under sweetly sung vocals, creating an ethereal medley of sounds that weave into a delicate yet bold futuristic electronic pop. A festival favourite, Femme En Fourrure are worlds away from their ambient industrial 2013 debut 36-26-36, now creating whimsical yet dark electro dance pop that pulses with a gloomy, emotional undertone and synthetic mixing.
Their latest track “Creepers” is a sickly sweet electro-pop track that allows you to unleash the escapist within. Exploring the idea of a thrill-seeker, a dreamer and a misfit, the track relentlessly pushes pop hooks and shifts pitches to take “Creepers” to an otherwordly zone. Using synths to create an intricate prism of dynamics and their quick whims to make a sound that wouldn’t be out of place in the year 3000, Femme En Fourrure’s “Creepers” is one that transports you into the future.
Sum up your sound in five words?
Misshapen, climactic, humid, gloomy and au courant.
Where did you meet and how did Femme En Fourrure form?
It first started out as a solo project, which then started to evolve towards a musical group with different members and producers. It’s important to collaborate. In 2013 Sandra joined the group and the formation has been a streamlined production duo ever since, Sandra & Juuso.
Was music always what you wanted to do?
Probably not during the more darker times, but nowadays yes. It’s a very natural state to always create. Music should always have a meaning.
What’s your writing process like?
We bounce ideas and demos back and forth until we have something pleasing to listen to. We stick to the strongest concepts and either of us can then start to write down lyrical ideas or work on the song structure etc.
Tell us about your track “Creepers”? How did it come about and tell us about the video!
It first started as an instrumental track Sandra made for a documentary about teenagers and their use of social media. We then wanted to turn it into a FEF track, shaping it and giving it more layers. This time it was our take on the contemporary pop music. The video was directed by Matti Vesanen and produced by Veli Creative. The song characterizes a thrill seeker, a dreamer, an escapist, a misfit – an adored free spirit yet who’s also a bit lonely in the end. The video feeds these thoughts through a filter made of adolescent romance, film noir and B-movies.
“Doing live shows keeps you on your toes in many ways, and the rush you get on stage is something you cannot get from anywhere else.”
How important would you say your visual aesthetic is to the overall feel of Femme En Fourrure?
It can in many ways actualize things that wouldn’t necessarily come through otherwise and at its best it brings along something unexpected. Lately it’s been about portraying negative emotions and imperfections, something that many graphic designers and directors seem to neglect as it’s easier to hide behind irony.
What’s your live show like?
It’s always evolving. It first started as a continuous and monotonic medley of our previous and unreleased work. But I guess the current state is that it’s more energetic, a lot less club music and more of a lively show, with two extra live members whenever it’s possible.
Do you prefer performing live or creating in the studio?
We are sort of introverted, so we feel more at home in the studio. However, doing live shows keeps you on your toes in many ways, and the rush you get on stage is something you cannot get from anywhere else.
How has your sound progressed since your 2013 debut 36-26-36?
The half of the debut album was created in collaboration with another producer and it had totally different style of vocal delivery, voice and mood. The album has it’s own fan base and it feels that there’s hopes that we would continue the aforementioned sound, but personally we’re not too keen to it anymore. Almost all of our production techniques and musical ideas have progressed since, at least in our minds, into something more well-articulated.
What’s the Helsinki music scene like and how does it inspire you?
It’s healthy. At the moment it’s more into club music and DJing. We don’t necessarily have a place for our kind of music, but maybe it’s a good thing, because who wants to sound like everyone else.
What’s next?
We would love to direct, shoot and edit our own music video in 2017, maybe for the next single.
