San Fermin creates a truly ‘Weird Environment’

An eight-piece band out of Brooklyn, San Fermin (pronunced “san fur-MEAN”) are set to release their fifth studio album, Arms, next month (Feb. 16). The opening track, “Weird Environment,” sets the tone for the entire album with hard-hitting vocals that are delivered in a soft, calming way.

“Burned my life down to the ground
Emptied out the Hungry Ghost
Wrote a sad song to get it out
If it helped I didn’t notice.”

Those lyrics delivered in such a soft tone definitely make for a ‘weird environment’ 😉, but it’s the humorous approach to heartache that makes the song truly stand out. Ellis Ludwig-Leone can sing about something we’ve all been through – a break-up – without coming off as angry or resentful. The lyrics are devastating, but they’re delivered with an ‘it is what it is’ vibe.

“The song is about the disorientation of a breakup, how your whole world feels suddenly fake and unpleasant,” said Ludwig-Leone. ” I wanted the music to be always charging forward– you have to keep moving or you’ll drown.”

There are so many break-up songs out there – some good, some bad. It’s an easy go-to for many artists, so how do you make it unique? San Fermin does a great job of approaching this topic from a new perspective. Based on sound alone, “Weird Environment” might even be interpreted as a happy song.

“When your life turns upside down, there’s humor mixed in with all the grief and confusion,” Ludwig-Leone added.

Ludwig-Leone’s vocals joined by harmonies from the rest of the band, along with a smooth guitar and a horn section blend so well together.

We look forward to hearing the full album next month, and catching them live when they visit Colorado in March.

The Colorado Sound presents San Fermin on March 24 at Globe Hall in Denver. See our Concert Calendar for details.