Fredo Viola - The Sad Song EP

Initial impressions of New York-based musician Fredo Viola are of a one-man Sigur Ros.

Like the Icelandic group, the opening title track on this debut EP has odd harmonies, shimming sounds and incomprehensible vocals. The impressive harmonies, all of which he recorded and performed himself, are less delicate than you might expect with an earthy, not icy beauty, even if sometimes it sounds like The Flying Pickets on acid. The other two tracks are surprisingly different. Hogwash is gritty, hippy folk, while Ether has surreal drama and nasty broken beats – like Can remixed by Aphex Twin.