Search - Smoke & Jackal :: Ep NO. 1

EP NO.1 marks the first collaboration between Jared Followill (Kings of Leon) and Nick Brown (Mona). Followill and Brown began recording as Smoke & Jackal earlier this year, fueled by multiple bottles of red wine and a shared fascination with timbre, rhythm, and aural adventure. They set to work at Brown's Nashville home studio and before the first evening was through, the duo had crafted both "No Tell" and the stunning psychedelic slow jam, "Fall Around." The two musicians immediately understood they had created something special, an evocative and original melding of oceanic rock with bottomless grooves and hypnotic dub textures. Just over one week later, EP1 was complete. Defined by Followill's liquid bass lines and Brown's soaring and expressive vocals, songs like "Road Side" and the closing "Safe Face" are both ingenious and accessible, their surprising soundscapes counterpointed by indelible melodies and haunting hooks. Smoke & Jackal's EP1 is the sound of two talented friends allowing their music to freely go places no one could have anticipated.

"It was all about tone and vibe and what felt right in that moment," Brown says. "Not second guessing, just having fun in that moment."

"Coming together just worked," says Followill. "I think it's because we took such an easy approach to it, we didn't bring any egos to it. We just talked about each other's ideas, neither one of us got our feelings hurt. It just worked."