C4C - Folk-Hop Vol. 2
Jesse Aymon Dettwiler, most commonly known as “C4C” is a multi-instrumentalist musician and composer based in Switzerland. C4C has created many projects; after pursuing music as a full-time gig as a sound engineer in a recording studio he has published music in a wide variety of genres, including indie folk, hip-hop, classical, jazz, reggae, ambient, trap bass, electro and even opera! Only two years ago after having little success with his own Bandcamp releases he decided to refocus his music, combining what he likes most into one style he calls “Folk-Hop music.” Today we are taking a look at C4C’s newest upcoming release: Folk-Hop Vol. 2, which is slated for release on June 11, 2021.
Folk-Hop Vol. 2 is very chill while also delivering some nostalgic vibes. It has Low-fi roots but with a modern twist, giving what I can only describe as a feel akin to the anime Cowboy Bebop. C4C has a unique take on the Folk sound and, although he’s from Switzerland, Jesse hits the nail on the head when it comes to bluegrass and Americana sound. With music that transports you into the Blue Ridge mountains and gives you something you would want to listen to while hiking. “Chêne” was a song I very much gravitated towards in this listen, as it truly sounds like something from a movie. This is a song that makes me long for a cozy cabin on a lake with a warm cup of espresso on a crisp Autumn morning. Bliss.
One of my favorite aspects about Folk-Hop Vol. 2 is that it features many different instruments which serves to showcase the many talents of Jesse Dettwiler. It is impressive to remind myself that he is playing all of those instruments as well as mixing them himself. As a composer he truly shows his skills on tracks like “Take it Easy”; “Take it Easy” has a strange time signature to it that almost brings you on a lazy river, both soothing but with a drum track that kicks you back into gear. The ukulele is also very much appreciated, as an instrument that can be used for many genres it fits like a glove for this sound, combined with the Hip-hop beats.
Despite very little lyrical content throughout the album, so much emotion can be expressed by these instruments, truly feeling like a melodic triumph; the repetition of soothing melody is comforting because you feel like you know what is coming next yet you are still excited for what you will hear on the other side. As you creep into the latter half of this album it is hard not to be concerned with it ending. Like a good book this album seems to have its moments that you will find yourself missing when it’s over.
The song “C4C” is an autobiographical piece and stood out as another one of my favorites. With a calming guitar tone and no drums Jesse begins expressing his story of songwriting and what it has done for him. He says many relatable things as he talks about how his video-game addiction was wasting his time and decided to use music as an outlet for his expression and use his skills for good by setting goals. He took this as motivation to bring him to where he is today which is inspiring in itself, as you realize the songs you just heard are made by a human who declared himself as flawed and found his way out.
As we get the last track, “Jesus”, the guitar plays in and you feel like it’s the same familiar road you’ve come to love throughout this piece. However something is different this time; we hear a voice singing and it is Jesse showcasing yet another talent as he displays his love for Jesus in a track I instantly fell in love with. While reaching the end of this album you realize you have come to a fork in the road: either you go left and decide to fall in love with only the sound and melody of the song, or you go right and fall in love with its message - and believe me when I say the message really hits home. As this track ends I feel like I have learned so much about Jesse with so little words. It would be a travesty to not include this song in your Low-fi/chill playlist.
It was a pleasure investing time into this album, and I can easily say that I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking to explore more in genres that are not usually combined. When covering full albums, we often mention more tracks by name but chose to pull back on that a little bit this time; we did this because, from front to back, Folk-Hop Vol. 2 is a special, complete work that needs to be heard in its entirety. This kind of music is, to me, the future of the Low-fi/chill kind of sound and there is no doubt in my mind that Folk-Hop Vol. 2 will release to a great deal of fanfare. Folk-Hop Vol. 2 drops in only a few days - June 11th - but if you cannot wait to get a taste of C4C’s music then check out his already released tracks on Bandcamp or his Spotify. You can also pre-order Folk-Hop Vol. 2 on vinyl by clicking here! We have a video of C4C introducing the Folk-Hop genre and movement embedded below so you can hear about it directly from the artist!
