Facedown EP


Facedown is the debut extended play by English band the 1975. It was released on 6 August 2012 by Dirty Hit and Interscope. The band produced the EP alongside Jamie Ellis and Ian Grimble. An art rock, indie pop and ambient pop record, it incorporates a diverse range of sounds including indie rock, electronica, dance-pop, gothic and emo.

Background

In January 2012, the 1975 was formed by lead singer Matty Healy, drummer George Daniel, guitarist Adam Hann and bassist Ross MacDonald, who had played music together since 2002. After being rejected by all major record labels, artist manager Jamie Osborne discovered the band and signed them to his label Dirty Hit. The 1975 began a process of releasing three extended plays leading to their debut album.

Composition

Musically, Facedown is composed in the styles of art rock, indie pop and ambient pop, which Bevis Man of DIY described as "sitting somewhere between the bleak art rock of Joy Division and the indie-pop that might well find its way onto the playlists of mainstream radio". The EP opens with the ballad "Facedown", an ambient torch song. Its production contains "angelic" whispers, twinkling chimes, "icy" and "wintry" bells, fragmented drum beats, a "shadowy" synth line, swirling and "shimmering" ambient guitars, "gloomy" vocals, pianos and low, "patient" and "synth-heavy" harmonics. Man said the track "echoes of the wintry feel" of Sigur Rós, while Jared Cohen of The Journal described the song as "Bon Iver on synths", stating it is evocative of the xx and M83. The following track, "The City", is an upbeat indie rock, electronica and dance-pop song. Composed of "maxed out" drum machines, "buzzing" keyboards and gated percussion, the track's lyrics revolve around the theme of urban loneliness, with Healy singing: "If you wanna find love then you know where the city is". Ian Cohen of Pitchfork said the song "confidently like the best Big Pink singles do", while American Songwriters Robert Crawford remarked that it "sounded like anthemic British indie-rock filtered through the neon disco ball of M83's dance-pop".
The third song on Facedown, "Antichrist", was described by Crawford as dark and stoic, a sentiment echoed by Tom Connick of NME, who deemed it "doomy, gloomy and powerful". Containing gothic influences, Consequences Samantha Small said the track's production was akin to "the rise and fall of a wave", built on a hard, "crashing" drum beat, synths, "glittering" guitars and a "powerful" synth organ. Thematically, the song focuses on topics such as such as atheism, enlightenment and the singer's relationship with his mother. The lyrics, which the Alternative Press staff opined "read like a poem", are composed entirely by Healy and discuss his inability to believe in "in something he cannot see", instead choosing to believe in love, singing: "Well, criminals and liars, keep him in your cell as a privilege of mine / Well, I love the house that we live in, I love you all too much". The EP's fourth and final song, "Woman", is a downbeat, quiet and stripped-back ballad. A torch song, its production is devoid of drums, consisting of merely Healy's vocals, "moody" soundscapes, atmospheric synths, simple, "gently" chiming guitar reverb and emo melodies. Lyrically, the song recounts an experience Healy had with a prostitute in Belfast when he was 17 years old, singing that he "fell in love with a little bit" but did not solicit her services.

Release and reception

Reception

Upon release, Facedown received generally mixed reviews from contemporary music critics, who praised the EP's stylistic diversity but described it as "schizophrenic" and failing to define the 1975's musical identity. Awarding the EP a score of 6.2-out-of-10, Ian Cohen deemed "The City" a highlight and praised the 1975's theatrics. However, the reviewer was critical of the record's uneven presentation and over-reliance on torch songs, ultimately calling it "a muddle, but a promising one". Man gave Facedown three-out-of-five stars, calling it "an inconsistent if beguiling listen" that is ultimately "an effort worth celebrating". He gave specific praise to "Antichrist", stating it contains a sense of urgency and direction not present on the record's other tracks, while criticising the lack of a cohesive sound. In his four-out-of-five star review, Jared Cohen viewed the EP's lack of cohesion in a positive light, stating it showcased the band's ability to produce a variety of styles. He praised the songwriting and production value, declaring it "a beautiful little EP".

Release and promotion

Facedown was released on 6 August 2012 by Dirty Hit and Interscope. On 9 August, "The City" was released as the EP's lead single. To promote the record, the 1975 released a series of black and white music videos directed by James Booth. Working with Booth, the band sought to create simplistic videos on a "really tiny budget" that worked together to form a series, seeking to complement the EP as a whole. Speaking on their collaboration, Booth said the 1975 "really care about their aesthetic and see their videos as an important part of this". "Facedown" was released on 23 June 2012 as the first visual. "The City", released on 18 July.