Don’t shoot, don’t shoot! When Friendly Fires’ eh-ponymous debut came out in the peak years of landfill indie. More CSS than the Wombats, Friendly Fires survived, holding up a nu-rave passport and gaining access to the decade beyond.
Eight years has passed between the second album, Pala, and this here new one – Inflorescent. In this new circular, sustainable era of recycling and reducing what foolish fullisades are going to fly when the Friendly Fires return to London, to the Roundhouse? To play a gig on the night before Brexit of all nights, not exactly the spookiest band, maybe that’s a good omen.
You may remember tunes like ‘Jump In The Pool’ and ‘Kiss of Life’, their tropical acoustic drums and tingly tangles of synths. Capped off with eminently chantable chorus instructions (“Kiiiss of liife!” / “Jump in the, jump in the pooool!”).
But deep house was just around the corner, Friendly Fires have always been highly remixable and danceable. It is no surprise, then, that the interlude between album has seen band members collaborate with house purveyors Disclosure, Andrew Weatherall and Dusky. Co-optation certainly, Friend Within even gets a credit on Inflorescent‘s ‘Offline’.
The new album then is a firm leap from the shoegaze days into a world of big beat drums, tickling pianos and ‘beefa sax. Re-worked yazz playable in any TK Maxx or rooftop bar – we’re walking briskly into October and November. Acid house with a safety cap.
Do these Pat Boone dancehall favourites signal a degradation of Friendly Fires? No, they’re still hot for dancing. Lead singerman, Ed MacFarlane will continue to show you how to do it (if you’ve forgotten), I could use some tips myself these days.
