REVIEW: Foreign Fields – ‘What It Cost’

Ever since they first broke through with their dazzling debut LP ‘Anywhere But Where I Am’ in 2012, experimental folk duo Brian Holl and Eric Hillman have seen their Foreign Fields project go from strength to strength. Always looking to stay one step ahead of their contemporaries with everything they do, their tenure to date has been this beautifully endearing one that always manages to find something new and interesting in which to pursue. And after a riveting run of releases under their belts in recent months, they look to cement this era within their sound with their hotly-tipped fourth studio album ‘What It Cost’, a record that offers a more inventive approach to their direction.

The main focus behind this release was for the duo to be less obsessed with perfecting and refining what they were writing, which instantly gives ‘What It Cost’ a far rawer and more organic appeal right from the off. Creating this almost off-the-cuff approach to their sound has seen them return with some beautifully endearing material throughout. Recruiting a full band in which to flesh out their aesthetic as well, Foreign Fields are spending this new LP redefining what they stand for and making a bold step forward within their evolution in the process.

While they have certainly delivered some of the more compelling contemporary folk releases of the last decade, ‘What It Cost’ is another intriguing surge of momentum behind their ambitious tendencies so far. Brimming with such flair and finesse throughout, they are certainly looking to turn some heads with this one.