In “3 on 1,” three music writers for The Overcast share their reactions to a single song off a local album. Today’s track is “Washed It In” off the album Demo Daze by Fog Banks (not to be confused with Fog Lake).

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Damian Lethbridge:

Within the first 30 seconds, a heavy blanket of synth envelopes you and pulls you into this warm little cocoon of electro-bliss. That vibrato lead line that strings the whole thing together is perfect. This song combines all my favorite elements of 80’s new wave and dream pop. Listening to it reminds me of bands like The Horrors and School of the Seven Bells. Like these bands, I love how Fog Banks bury the organic element of the music under layers of synthetic noise, but the humanity and emotion always shine through.

Erin Power:

“Washed It In” is a dense and dreamy ambient-electronic tune with a solid groove and a killer drum line. The focus on the vocals as an instrument as opposed to the more standard lyrical focus is quite refreshing. Fog Banks offers something with this track that is an intriguing and exciting detour from the more mainstream local music happening these days. 

Lukas Wall:

As the song’s title suggests, “Washed It In” does tend to wash from the speakers with its big, synth-driven sound. The electronic warbles of different tones create a thick wall of sound that becomes almost trance-like in its repetitions. Quiet vocals sit underneath as these sounds wash over them, however the song is a bit of a rough ride. Some of the synth sounds are quite aggressive and become almost overpowering, reducing the otherwise chilled out vibe of the tune.