Flevans, the one man band coming out of Brighton, is a broad based multi instrumentalist. Having been classically trained in piano and double bass to grade seven, Flevans went on to pick up the guitar, drums, and dabble in the mandolin. He managed to get signed to Tru Thoughts while bumming around in a college bong haze on the strength of a few tracks he made loading jazz and funk samples into a 10-second sampler that was built into a mixer and laying them down, loop by loop, onto a cassette 4-track. To get signed to Quantic and Bonobo's label without a computer or working instruments is picture-in-the-dictionary impressive.
Much like the Beta Band, Flevans' debut album is pieced together from a couple early EPs and a fresh one all previously available only on vinyl. There isn't much of a difference in production between the newer and older tracks, each containing elements of chill and hip-hop drums both sampled and programmed while some form of resonant, natural instrument rounds out the sound, often in the form of the piano which dictates the mood of each song. The highlight for me was "Dumb Ballad," which channels the light-hearted coffee-table style of drum and bass championed by London Elektricity; but I am a DnB addict so I'm a bit biased, and different songs will appeal to each of us depending on our given mood. On the whole, Make New Friends is largely instrumental and pretty laidback, so it's great to unwind or wake up to. Yet, for some reason, after I listen to this I feel an uncontrollable desire to listen to big band music... I think I need to clean my bong. Anyway, this CD release, though endorsed by me, serves to officially take care of the Flevans back catalogue. It'll be interesting to see what he now does with a full album in mind.
1. Begin Again
2. Hey Mr. Bundle
3. Me and My Moody
4. Get Caribou
5. Small Room Syndrome
6. Lay It Down
7. Dinner With Boskins
8. Out to Lunch
9. Sweep Definitive
10. Dumb Ballad
More about: Flevans
