CHARLES FAUNA'S new EP was influenced by a fatal hit and run.
Sounds grim, but stick with me.
Fauna, a lifelong musician and songwriter, was getting his morning coffee and rounded the corner to see a man on a bicycle get hit by a car.
“Watching the people watching this happening was this moment of seeing everyone immediately resort to what they care about most,” Fauna recalls. “It shattered the illusion of everyday life. I felt lost and confused and immediately realized that feeling was worth exploring.”
After, Fauna’s writing took a bit of a darker turn.
“I think there’s something to be said for confronting those uncomfortable feelings,” Fauna says. “It makes you happier because you really do live with less fear. I used this moment as a springboard to talk about things like love and loss and separation and anxiety. It made me uncomfortable, so that’s how I knew it was right.”
Fauna channels that energy into Eulogy, the forthcoming 7-song EP. It was recorded and produced at Fauna’s home, then mixed at various studios, including Greenwich Village’s Electric Lady Studios.
“That’s hallowed ground for me,” Fauna shares. “It was nuts. It was a great mixing session.”
“Abandon,” the lead single from Eulogy, is bright alt-pop with those dark, brooding lyrics running through.
“It all came from that one experience, but it’s not entirely about that,” Fauna says. “I like writing songs that are really fun. I’m more inclined to make moves that are dance-driven but grapple with heavier themes that give them something fun and enjoyable and colorful. Yes, it’s a heavy EP, but it’s also very loud and it’s epic and it’s uplifting.”
Eulogy's release date is pending, but for now, Fauna is enjoying his tour with his label, Sleep Well Records—and Stopover is a perennial favorite. Last year, Fauna played drums for label mate Pronoun, so this year is Fauna’s first on his own.
