Drawing inspiration from the chaos of his neighbourhood in Chicago, the colourful world and imagination of J Fernandez is captured in his debut album Many Levels Of Laughter. With lyrics reflecting the profound (emotional mushroom trips), the mundane (dentist visits, board games) and life’s other curiosities (sleep apnea, Craigslist encounters), it’s an album steeped in DIY origins, but offers a superior exploration of sound that’s all set to wrap J Fernandez in a far worldlier embrace.
Born to Filipino immigrant parents, J (Justin) Fernandez relocated to the Windy City from his native Little Rock, Arkansas in the early aughts to begin work for the U.S. map company Rand McNally. Spending his spare time navigating his own personal world of musical endeavours, he created three unique and accomplished early EPs Olympic Village, No Luck and Memorize Now that placed him alongside label peers Best Coast, Mount Eerie, and Dirty Beaches whilst winning him praise and comparisons to everyone from Syd Barrett, to Robyn Hitchcock and Ennio Morricone.
Many Levels… was written and recorded in the rudimentary studio in his apartment,a setting that was filled with his collection of salvaged gear, built up over the years from scouring Craigslist ads from every city he’d visit.
Fernandez’s songwriting draws on disparate influences from Terry Riley to the annals of early electronic music, pop and psychedelia, not to mention Can, Yo La Tengo, Jim O’Rourke, Electric Prunes, James Burke’s ‘Connections’, Carl Sagan, Bas Jan Ader, the winter in Chicago, and Adderall.