feature: indie rock/pop/experimental soul septet phox celebrates diy with ‘confetti’ video ep

A band like Phox could easily collapse under the weight of their own weirdness, were it not for the grounding of vocalist Monica Martin. While the gang of practical jokers and merry pranksters deconstruct the structures of indie rock and chamber pop, Monica sings out her heartbreaking ballads. The whole thing could easily be disjointed, but the fact is, the entire seven-piece ensemble is as good at playing tightly as they are at pulling apart the strings. It’s a balancing act that’s captivating to watch in their Confetti videos.

By Nathan Leigh, AFROPUNK Contributor

Tracks “Noble Heart,” “Espeon,” and most notably “Slow Motion” showcase a band positively obsessed with the handmade. In a world where so many artists strive to sound “hot” (by which they mean sound like everyone else who is already famous), there are so few people embracing the notion that a band should sound like no-one other than them could have made their music. And watching the songs on the Confetti video EP, it’s clear that no-one other than these seven could have made this music. Each artist asserts their personality so strongly, you finish the series feeling like you’ve just spent an afternoon hanging out with your seven new best friends celebrating the joys of DIY.

“In nearly a decade / I didn’t feel inclined to say / There’s no-one more brilliant than you.”