An Interview With... The Fentons

All you need to know about one-man band The Fentons.

Here at Middle Eight, we're keen to showcase up and coming artists who are working hard to make themselves heard.

Recently, we spoke to The Fentons, a solo project by Jacob Belk, who describes their music as "the strangest indie dance you'll hear", and to be honest it's not far off.

From the chiptune-esque 'Origami Avenue' to the aggression and fluidity of "Where Are The Violins?", there is much to be admired in the creativity of The Fentons work. Find out more below!

Who are you and where are you from?

I'm Jacob and I'm based in Charlotte, North Carolina. I am a literal one-man band for now, but I'm hoping to make this project a conglomerate or hub/collective for myself and my friends.

How did you first get into music?

I always wanted to be in a band, but my voice is so weird and can go into some genres only in specific ways that I figured I would self-produce to really get the vibe and sounds I wanted. I started to use more samples due to influences like Kanye West who samples like mad; and this is the end result!

Who are your main musical influences?

You may hear some, or may not at all: Kanye West, Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz), Tyler The Creator, Frank Ocean, Calvin Harris, Elvis Presley, Twenty One Pilots, Hideki Naganuma.

How would you describe the music you make?

If Kanye West produced for the Gorillaz featuring Talking Heads. I like what I like, and I make what I want. Some days (most) it's weird indie dance mixed with hip hop influences. Other days, definitely some more lo-fi indie rock. Most of the tracks are instrumentals, but I wouldn't rule out remixes or other releases with vocals on them.

Which artists do you currently have on repeat?

Definitely I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME, Desourdy, and my own stuff I'm putting out in January under the moniker, gluum.

What are your plans for the future?

Help artists succeed. There is a massive amount of people preying on artists when it comes to PR, marketing, getting streams and placements etc. I just want to be a contact for people who want someone real and authentic with them, and to craft a good community and sound for everyone to enjoy.

Listen to The Fentons' boppers on Spotify and follow on Instagram to keep up to date with any new releases. 

If you know of any artists who would like to be featured on our site, please do not hesitate to get in touch! You can follow us on Twitter and Instagram or email is at middleeightinfo@gmail.com