Introducing... Joe Banfi

Friday, 1 February 2013 0 comments

This weeks introducing comes in the form of Joe Banfi. Hailing from Northwich, the 23 year old has announced plans for the release of his new EP: ‘Nomads’ on 4th March through Communion Records.

Having spontaneously sent his demos to Communion, Banfi was soon picked up and championed by Ben Lovett and Kevin Jones and appeared on Communion’s New Faces compilation.

Banfi is quick to impress, having already received early radio support from the likes of Radio 1, XFM and 6Music. With his sound evidently developing from his early release, Banfi teams whispering falsetto with his unique mix of vintage elements, allowing his winsome folkie tones to progress and develop. A sound we are so delighted to hear throughout, ‘Nomads’.

After meeting Joe late last year and having featured him as one to watch in 2013, it's a pleasure to have him on our 'Introducing' this week. So, without further ado...


Daisy Digital: You are about to release your Nomads EP, I have given it a listen and it's hauntingly beautiful! How would you describe the sound of record?

Joe Banfi: Well the music I'm listening to whilst forming a song always has a big say in how the song is shaped. When we recorded the Nomads EP I was listening to an album called 10,000 Days by Tool a lot, as well as listening to a lot of film music. 


DD: Is it fair to say your sound has developed/progressed from your debut EP release last year?

JB: Yeh, I think those influences made the sound bigger and more expansive than on the Iron EP. The lyrical story behind 'Nomads' really needed a musical backdrop that was a bit more filmic than anything I'd done before. The influences that formed the Iron EP still had a large role to play in this sound though. 


DD: How does it feel hearing these songs played on the likes of XFM, Radio 1 and BBC 6 Music?

JB: It's wonderful. I was heading home from a music video shoot of 'Nomads' the other day in Devon. I'd caught a cold filming on Dartmoor and felt terrible driving up the M5. I was listening to Radio 1 and had no idea that Zane Lowe was about to play 'Nomads' - I didn't feel so ill after that! 


DD: I can imagine! What's it been like having such a strong support from Communion?

JB: Within the music industry it's like having really great older brothers and sisters who make sure no one gives you any trouble. 


DD: Talking of which, you've just been announced as support to fellow Communion artists, Bears Den, as well as a solo UK tour - which date are you most looking forward to?

JB: I've formed a great friendship with the Bear's Den team over the past year. I love hanging out with them so the tour will be a great excuse to do that a lot. It's a different kind of excitement for my March dates just because it's my first headline tour. David McCaffrey will be joining me on that tour so it'll be great fun. 


DD: And how have you found the new tracks to be going down with a live crowd? 

JB: It's been great. I've been playing 'Nomads' in my live set since October and people really seem to relate to that song more than any other in the set. 


DD: Last time we met, it was at a packed out Wilmington Arms supporting Ellen and The Escapades, will the set up for the upcoming tour be similar? What can we expect?

JB: For the Bear's Den tour it'll be just me on stage - with maybe a couple of guest appearances from some of the Bears. For the headline tour in March it'll be a full band. People will be coming to those shows expecting to hear what they've heard on the record, and I need at least four people on stage to achieve that sound. 


DD: And one last thing, any pre show rituals?

JB: My vocal warmup is a big ritual for me; it's quite strange and the weird noises often seem to scare the other bands on the bill a bit.


Many thanks to Joe.


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