128. Fifteen Minutes of Fame Recaps: Album Review of Fēn Shēn by Sprawler FU

Originally Published on May 12th, 2025

About the Artist

Those who have been reading Fifteen Minutes of Fame Reviews since the beginning are surely familiar with British-Dutch independent artist, Sprawler FU. Since publishing the August 2024 review of the release of her single, Ornithology, and the January 2025 Blind Reaction to When the Ice Breaks, it’s impossible not to notice the unyielding progress being made by this incredible musician. 

Sprawler FU has been consistently putting out music. Since her third single, Ornithology, there have been five more singles and a collaboration with Denver, Colorado-based DJ, Agent of Kaos; including the December 2024 release of When the Ice Breaks. 

It wasn’t until after her collaboration with Agent of Kaos, that Sprawler FU surprised all of her fans, including FMOF that her next release would be a first for her; her first full-length debut album.

About the Album

Fēn Shēn is the debut LP by British-Dutch singer/songwriter and producer, Sprawler FU. At a little more than 30 minutes, this 10-song album was written, performed, engineered, edited, and produced, all by Sprawler FU. It was released on April 23rd, 2025. It features previously released singles Where the Lights Fall, Shadow, Ornithology, Underwater, Devil's Drop, When the Ice Breaks, and Overflow. 

About the Music

“This album is part of my story, my journey, my life, documented in 10 songs.”

Fēn Shēn opens with Doppelgänger, a dark groove, electronic drum and bass performance that features layers of vocal melodies and harmonies performed by Sprawler FU. The percussion dynamics are phenomenal in this song as they have a deliberate transition from the verse to the chorus that set the tone for the entire album.

I Want it All Is the fifth song on Fēn Shēn. Midway through the album, Sprawler FU shows no signs of slowing down as she continues to exhibit an expert ability to produce complex and energetic percussions. She also showcases a dynamic vocal range as she demonstrates a comfort in performing in both higher and lower ranges. The production value of I Want it All is flawless.

Fēn Shēn closes with the song Bitter Sweet. The melody of this song is primarily anchored by creepy sounding xylophone and vibraphone parts played together, panned to each side of the track. Supported by synth strings, Sprawler FU performs in perpetual harmonization with herself. Unlike the rest of the album, this song features almost no percussion; with the exception of a few mallot cymbal rolls.

This album is well thought from any way I look at it. The production value is incredible. The track list flows from beginning to end in seamlessly, with one song leading perfectly into the next. The dynamics of each song and the quick transitions make this an easy listen. This is a project that feels like it has a team of producers working on it. It’s all the more impressive to know that there wasn’t. This accomplishment was achieved by one person.

Final Thoughts

One of the most beautiful things about Sprawler FU is how transparent she is as an artist. She is very open about her experiences. A prominent content creator on social media, she often gives an insightful behind-the-scenes look at the creative process of her music. 

In addition to producing all of her music on her own, she also notoriously films music videos for each of her releases. These self-produced videos are often made with little to no budget and are written, directed, and star Sprawler FU. 

Sprawler FU is the very definition of an independent artist. She is also the bar to which we should all measure ourselves. She is unapologetic, unfiltered, and she has a fearlessness that gives her free reign on the creative process. 

She is forthcoming about what inspires her; whether it’s love, loss, or traumatic events in her life; like being bullied in school when she was younger, she takes every moment and turns it into something beautiful. Something special. Something significant. It shouldn’t come to a surprise for any of us. After all, Sprawler FU is a beautiful, special, and significant person. She is what we get when a person is committed to being their authentic self. A beautiful, inspiring performance artist who has the capability of doing it all. It’s infectious too, as her audience continues to grow exponentially. 

If there is anything we can expect from watching Sprawler FU, it’s that we haven’t begun to see what she’s capable of. This is exciting to think about as she is capable of so much.

Follow Sprawler FU:Spotify, Instagram, Threads, and Bandcamp

Additional media:YouTube and TikTok

Listen to Fēn Shēn:Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Bandcamp

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