Prior to the release of their first album, Fields offered a special band-approved mixtape to fans through their website and MySpace page, including songs that give newcomers some idea of where the British five-piece is coming from: along with three of their own songs, old-school folk-rockers Pentangle and Linda Perhacs, synth pioneers Silver Apples, and an eclectic batch of current indie rockers like Sufjan Stevens, Thurston Moore, Broadcast, Smog, and Jaga Jazzist all make appearances. This blend of eccentric acoustic folk, electronic washes of sound, and shoegazer guitar drones is a fine starting point for Fields, who construct their own music out of all of these influences and more. Based in Birmingham, Fields consist of singer and guitarist Nick Peill, Icelandic-born singer and keyboardist Thorunn Antonia, guitarist Jamie Putnam, bassist and keyboardist Matty Derham, and drummer Henry Spenner. Signed to the Black Lab label, a British indie with a distribution deal with Atlantic Records, Fields debuted with the teaser EP 7 from the Village in the summer of 2006. The band's full-length debut, Everything Last Winter, which was produced by Michael Beinhorn (the Bronx, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pete Yorn), hit stores in early 2007. ~ Stewart Mason