Baby Condor – Baby Condor (2026)
Considering the amount of music blasting toward us not only from individual artists, but via radio, podcasts, and random playlists we might encounter, finding a band to love and stick with is difficult. It’s challenging to be memorable in this digital world, so chock-a-block with everything; however, it’s not impossible, as Baby Condor proves. We came across their music earlier this month with ‘Silver Stereo’, and have had the single at the top of our The Other Side Reviews Recommend playlist for several weeks. Today, we are incredibly excited about their debut, self-titled EP; join us as we dive into the release.
Self-recorded and produced by brothers Noelle and Beinte Groen – also known as Baby Condor – Baby Condor is a 23-minute waltz through various genres from the country-inspired tone of ‘Backcountry Towns’ to jazzy ‘Lifetime Come & Gone’ and soul-driven ‘Silver Stereo’, showcasing the pair’s versatility, innovation and commitment to toe-tapping grooves of yesteryear.
Opening with ‘Backcountry Towns’, Baby Condor slides in with a silvery pedal steel, taking the fore – country twang in place. Elegantly arranged, the steady drums and bass both wind about and layer atop the pedal steel, just as a soaring guitar steps out to introduce some country-rock flavours. For me, the ebb and flow of the keyboards adds a soft harmony, but stands out with its mellifluous rhythm.
From ‘Backcountry Towns’, we head to ‘Seventeen’ – a folk-tinged combination of drums, guitars, and bass. Yet, the stand-out instrumental element to this track is the powerful guitar riffs, classic rock-style, and the introduction of an alto sax that will continue to add soul in various tracks on the EP.
‘Lifetime Come & Gone’ seems, at least for me, the turning point in Baby Condor. An outstanding track on the EP, it cuts the folksy tunes and the heavier Motown-influenced tunes with its orchestral blend of strings, horns and drums. A song so aptly aligning with its unpicking of existential questions, like what happens once our lives are over.
From here on out, the Groen brothers really get into their groove with ‘Saw You In A Song’, ‘Dreaming Of The Day’ and the funk-filled ‘Silver Stereo’. A shift to vintage jazz and funk catches and carries you with a nostalgic grin toward the silky sophistication of Quincy Jones and the soul-stirring heart of Earth, Wind & Fire. A click of Wings picks along in ‘Saw You In A Song’; however, the persistent horn section keeps that tick of Earth, Wind & Fire firmly in place.
For me, Baby Condor’s melodies are soul-stirring with memories of singing along to Lionel Richie, George Benson, and Al Jarreau as a child. The thing is, as much as the instruments are moving and smile-inducing, it is the reflective lyricism and soulful vocals that make Baby Condor stick – very much the vocals. Oddly enough, ‘Silver Stereo’ is my favourite song and seems to capture the core of what I mentioned – songs needing raw honesty and authenticity to be memorable and not merely commodities to entertain.
So, overall opinion of Baby Condor? Well, there’s a reason the lads are at the top of our playlist. Given the other tracks on the EP, I imagine they’ll be there for some time.
Find out more about Baby Condor on their Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Spotify.
Listen to more of our favourite tracks on The Other Side Reviews Recommend playlist:
