Five years ago, Fickle Friends surfaced on the indie-pop scene with their addictive synth-infused sound.Long before Spotify streaming at the swipe of your finger, the band’s single ‘P L A Y’ made its way onto Soundcloud back in 2014.
Followed by a string of releases, their debut EP ‘Velvet’ followed in 2015 as they began to bubble beneath the indie pop scene as they primed their pop perfection.
As the band’s fan base grew alongside them, they continued to tour with no label support and secured festival slots across Europe with their shimmering sound before signing to Polydor in 2016.
Fast-forward to March 16th 2018 ‘You Are Someone Else’ is finally here – and it’s been more than worth the wait.
Over these years, Fickle Friends have become a band you can rely on for uplifting indie pop tunes that are guaranteed to put a groove in your step and a smile on your face.
Whether its turbulent relationships, failing friendships or mental health struggles, the band turn everyday situations and sorrows into synth-soaked singles, with lyrics ready to sing out loud as you dance your way out dark times. Their all-encompassing lyrical style allows the listener to take their own meaning from each line, providing a collection of empowering singles.
Recent release ‘Wake Me Up’ acts as the introductory track for the album, with an instant welcome to Fickle Friends neon-lit 80’s infused world, with no waiting about.
Followed by trio of their recent radio listed releases from ‘Glue’ to ‘Brooklyn’, from which the album title is taken. These indie pop bops may feel familiar to fans, but back-to-back provides an impressively strong introduction to the album, as frontwoman Natti Shiner’s glittering effortless vocals lead the way through the multi-layered release.
Throwing back to 2015 with ‘Paris’, taken from the band’s ‘Velvet’ EP, the single leaves Natti’s vocals in the spotlight alongside ‘Say No More’ with the perfect portrayal of her vocal tone, while later track ‘Heartbroken’ will leave you Whitney Houston-karaoke-style singing along to their glistening sound.
‘In My Head’ serves up as an interlude style track, introducing a new side to Fickle Friends, but with no waiting around as ‘Rotation’ brings the tempo back, despite being a less memorable track on the release.
Out of the previously unheard tracks on the album, ‘Heartbroken’ and ‘Bite’ manage to shine above the rest with it’s 80’s sequin-studded dance-pop sound, reminiscent of Wham! and Duran Duran, as if the single could’ve easily been plucked straight from your parent’s record collection.
With an 80’s pop influence throughout, ‘You Are Someone Else’ encapsulates everything about Fickle Friends that fans have grown to love – and everything that the world needs to hear.
‘You Are Someone Else’ is an uplifting album feel-good set to singalong out loud, and it’s undoubtedly going to become the soundtrack to many summers across the globe.