At a time when it’s getting darker outside, and news outlets are showing no signs of stopping with the humiliating and dismal news – one band is providing a sonic antidote with only the most mesmerising and euphoric synth-pop. Introducing Brighton-hailed outfit Fickle Friends.
Comprised of Natassja Shiner (vocals, keyboard), Harry Herrington (bass, backing vocals), Sam Morris (drums) and Jack Wilson (keyboards), Fickle Friends have been making waves with their endlessly replayable brand of DIY dream-pop – all hazy electronic production imbued with Natti’s hypnotic vocals.
And their latest track “92” is a sweeping and cinematic ode to only the most all-consuming and intoxicating pure love. The visuals are a compilation of the lead singer’s VHS tapes from the 90s in Switzerland and her childhood – for a truly decadent slice of nostalgia. Taken from their forthcoming “Weird Years (Season 1)” EP, out January 2021, if “92” is anything to go by, it’s set to be a big year for the buzzy quartet.
We caught up with the band below…
Hi guys, how has this uncertain time been for you?
Challenging. Alienating. Weirdly creative. I think initially is was quite scary for us but we have since leaned into swerve. We have definitely felt a lot of loss because playing live and festivals has always been what we live for, but we are trying to find peace with where we are at and doing what we can to keep inspired and motivated.
You guys filmed and editing “What A Time” during lockdown – new skills you’ve picked up in this time – how has it impacted your music and creativity?
Funnily enough Jack bought a camera a while back because he thought he needed a “hobby” that wasn’t music. He was such a natural that it’s just become another string to his bow and another thing to add to the work load haha. Nah but really we just love to create, we love being DIY. It’s so much more rewarding and we don’t have to answer to anyone else lol. Music wise it’s been up and down….we wrote a lot of useless crap for a good month. Then the tap ran clear and we wrote a couple good ones. That’s just standard for us.
How did you all meet? And why the name Fickle Friends?
We all met at uni in Brighton. I (Natti) kinda cobbled a band together to perform some of my weird folky tunes and Fickle Friends kinda developed from there. I borrowed the name from a friend and never gave it back …
How would you describe your genre?
Hmm…music for festival sunsets.
Where do you pull most of your sonic and lyrical influences from?
Sonically it can be anything really. More recently its been a lot of 90s era grunge and pop. We are obsessed with country melodies too!!! My lyrics come from all over….films…books… conversations with friends…my life…the crumbling planet. Haha
Congratulations on your next single, “92” – what is the song about and influenced by?
Thank you. It’s about your first taste of deep love. Like the all consuming, delectable, mind blowing kind where you have to keep pinching yourself to make sure it’s real. We started this song with a loop we found…so it wasn’t directly influenced by anything actually. The song just kind of fell together in an afternoon.
And you’ve got your EP “Weird Years (Season 1)” coming up, why that name?
It’s actually the name of the album… simply because I couldn’t find a better way of knitting all the song concepts together. We have had a weird few years…and it’s only getting weirder. It just seemed to fit and had a ring to it.
Love the fun trippy retro visuals of “What A Time” – what did you guys want to convey with it?
I guess we wanted to convey the feeling of going outside for the first time since lock down. That first taste of fresh air… and all the energy that’s been building inside you is finally released all at once.
What ties it together as a body of music?
Each song is like a little anecdote from the last few years. Whether it’s being trapped indoors due to the pandemic. Falling in and out of love. Finding balance in your own head. Hitting a brick wall creatively. It’s a journey of ups and downs and I guess the weirdness of reaching adulthood and not really knowing what it’s supposed to look like… but just trying to go with the flow.
How do you want your music to make fans feel?
We want them to feel empowered. Inspired. Stuck up for. And represented.
What’s next for you? And what are you excited by?
The weird years have only just begun so there much more still to come in the next few instalments. We are excited by Korean cinema, the change in seasons, the new Rupi Kaur book, Halloween, socially distanced gigs, hot water bottles, our new manager, Terry’s chocolate orange, making music videos, spending some time with each other.