New Fearful Earful track ‘Hyperphantasia’ is frightfully danceable

Jonathan Olson, who performs as Fearful Earful, drops debut album Hyperphantasia tomorrow. But three months ago, it wouldn’t have been called that because the title track didn’t exist. No demos. No voice memos. Nothing.

“It ended up being the final piece of the puzzle for the album, falling together around the second week of September,” Olson explained. “And yet I feel like it's the centerpiece of the record and my favorite thing I've recorded to date.”

It’s also a pretty impressive feat considering the song’s relatively late entry to the album mix. There’s no skimping on production here, with ’70s guitar licks and dance-rock flourishes layered over a very sinister vocal performance:

When the windows rattle
And the ground begins to shake
Savor this private battle
It’s time for your great escape

The contrast between the music and lyrics deserves its own genre. Nightmare disco maybe? 

Olson had a more conventional description for the track and album as a whole: “ a shapeshifting exploration of synthpop in its various forms. It's also an earnest, energetic celebration of popular music and its ability to connect us — through pain, trauma, joy and, ultimately, catharsis.”

You can explore that connection by listening to “Hyperphantasia” below and picking up the album on Bandcamp.