Dutch brothers Nolle and Beinte Groen step into the spotlight with Baby Condor, a six-track debut EP that effortlessly blends melodic richness, analogue warmth, and timeless songwriting. Anchored by the lead single Dreaming of the Day, the record invites listeners on a sun-soaked, reflective journey across American highways, coastal roads, and hazy canyon evenings—a space where memory, longing, and quiet introspection converge.
Crafted almost entirely in their hand-built Mermaid Studio, the EP showcases the brothers’ dedication to authenticity, layering live instrumentation, analogue gear, and orchestral textures into every track. Influences from the Great American Songbook, James Taylor, Paul Simon, Marvin Gaye, and Elton John are seamlessly fused with contemporary inspirations like Jonathan Wilson and Michael Kiwanuka, creating a sound that is both familiar and unmistakably personal.
Each track carries its own emotional weight: Backcountry Towns opens with sunlit pedal steel reflections on human connection, Seventeen traces a coming-of-age story through memory and self-discovery, while Lifetime Come & Gone meditates on loss with rich strings and a jazzy flugelhorn outro. The centrepiece, Dreaming of the Day, captures the fragile hope of relationships on the brink of fading, its dreamy bridge and memorable chorus lingering long after it ends. Saw You in a Song brings a blues-tinged, sailor-inspired tale of cutting toxic ties, and Silver Stereo closes the EP with a bold, anthem-like critique of music as a commodity while celebrating it as art.
With meticulous attention to arrangement, texture, and emotional honesty, Baby Condor delivers a debut that feels both timeless and immediate. It’s a record that honours the craft of songwriting, the warmth of analogue production, and the enduring power of music made with care and intention. For listeners craving substance, soul, and sonic depth, Baby Condor is a richly rewarding debut.
