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< Friendly Fires
Friendly Fires
words by Sam Little
From the Kajagoo Goo-baiting ‘In The Hospital’ to the opening Ibiza-paddling ‘Jump In The Pool’ – produced by Paul Epworth – Friendly Fires have proven to be both wise and worth the wait.
Never wanting to be critic-food in the undercurrent created by Klaxons, this St Albans trio couldn’t have been more insulted by the nu rave tag sometimes stapled to them early on. So they’ve been biding their time before unleashing this self-titled debut, releasing sporadic EPs and singles, while proving to be the ultimate live party band playing a club night near you.
But the tyranny of nu rave is over, and bands of three with good hair, cowbells and dance influences are free to be labelled as some other buzz genre. ‘Friendly Fires’, then, is perhaps the first ‘sun & bass’ record, UV funky in its grooves to remind you of that peach schnapps summer holiday? Only the timing’s all off for that. Back to the crap-names-for-hybrid-sounds drawing board then.
For now, let’s just say that the dancefloor pop that makes up ‘Friendly Fires’ is fun, infectious and positive. Layers of carnival percussion make it a dancing record, in the way that Hot Chip’s ‘Over And Over’ was so effectively. But there’s also a heightened sense of romance here, in Edd Gibson’s lyrics – previous single ‘Paris’ cries for an eloping love story of optimism, the downbeat ‘Strobe’ talks of a nostalgic love found on the dancefloor. And over all of this – and the Battles-do-pop ‘White Diamond’, the synth bleeping ‘Skeleton Boy’ and the closing, fuzzed soundscape of ‘Ex Lover’ – Friendly Fires to be actual musicians.
Between the three of them, Gibson, Ed Mac and Jack Savidge pull levers that pop, push buttons that reverb and turn switches that launch rocket sounds to a controlled and exact effect. Largely, it’s more than enough to forgive ‘Lovesick’, the one dud track here, too overtly 80s to not be overshadowed by its neighbouring songs.
So yes, the timing is well off for this one. But, on the bright side, by the time you jet off to an infinity pool next summer you’ll know ‘Friendly Fires’ like the contents of your Speedo. And you’ll be just as pleased to play with both in the sunshine too.
8/10 in stores Sept 1
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