Phoenix, “Fences (Friendly Fires RMX)” MP3
It’s almost too good to be true: one of our favorite bands (and FADER 62 cover stars) remixed by one of our OTHER favorite bands into a cowbelly dream sequence that channels the spirit of early ’90s house and reminds Julianne to watch her favorite movie and life-template Party Girl again. Seriously, did Zeus extend his mighty god-hand into our heads, extract this very thing from our subconscious and lead the universe into its creation? Cause we didn’t know Zeus was down with us like that, but we’ll take it. Also, if you’re listening oh great one, we could use a public option and a rave vacation in London. Not to get greedy, just saying.
Download: Phoenix, “Fences (Friendly Fires RMX)” (via LA Friendly)
-
posted on Sep 17, 2009 in MP3 / STREAMS tags electronic/dance, Friendly Fires, Parker Posey, Party Girl, Phoenix, rock, Zeus
Video: Friendly Fires, “Kiss of Life”
“Kiss of Life” is the new single from rural Brits Friendly Fires, a mass of their signature salty-sweet hooks and house-informed rhythm patterns, plus some drum syncopation that may indicate they’ve been steeping in some UK funky house as of late (quick, somebody remix this). Profiled in FADER #57, where we were privy to their first ever margaritas (we’re assuming those weren’t the last), basically these dudes can do no wrong in our eyes. But this video, while beautifully shot, is giving us red-flaggy vibes, like the whole “mask-wearing dudes on African Brazilian drums=the rhythm of life!” thing, and we’re not sure if we should blame Kanye, Paul Simon or Tom Cruise. Either way the song is a total jam.
Freeload: Friendly Fires, “Jump in the Pool (Thin White Duke RMX)”
- story THE FADER
Natty British boy band Friendly Fires is ripe for remixing, already having the sensibilities of house music fans working out a rock-disco thing, with rhythmic disco vox and crescendoing everything. (And then there’s the cowbell.) Fellow Brit super-remixer the Thin White Duke interpreted the glossy jammer “Jump in the Pool” all meditatively, so it sounds like “the kissing scene” on a movie soundtrack but also the thing you want to have dancefloor epiphanies to.
Download: Friendly Fires, “Jump in the Pool (Thin White Duke RMX)”
-
posted on Apr 29, 2009 in MP3 / STREAMS tags dance/electronic, freeload, Friendly Fires, rock, Thin White Duke
Prancehall’s Bass Odyssey, Part 42
- story THE FADER
Above is the video for Newham Generals’ latest single, “Head Get Mangled”, which uses the Holy Trinity of UK urban music video themes: bravado, torture and soft porn.
I’m yet to see a positive review of the single so I’m saying I like it just to spite everyone. Actually, I do quite like it – it’s impossible for a song featuring D Double E to sound bad. It’s just a shame they decided to add a horrible filter to the vocals, making what D Double says pretty much incomprehensible.
Newham Generals showed up at the NME Awards with their label boss Dizzee Rascal last week. Below, you can find the full transcribe of Newham Generals-themed text messages sent to me by Friendly Fires‘ drummer, Jack, who was sat on the same table as Dizzee, D Double E and Footsie all night.
-
posted on Mar 2, 2009 in PRANCEHALL’S BASS ODYSSEY tags Dizzee Rascal, Friendly Fires, grime, Newham Generals, Prancehall's Bass Odyssey
Video: Friendly Fires, “Skeleton Boy”
- story THE FADER
Continuing their pretty smart trend of releasing videos just as we think we’re starting to get tired of their self-titled debut, Friendly Fires have come up with “Skeleton Boy,” which features full black body suits and a rain of little puffs that we can only hope are hundreds of thousands of Dippin’ Dots.
Live: Friendly Fires In LA
- story THE FADER
We’ve said it many times before, but Friendly Fires are the real deal. We think our friends finally figured that out after the tenth one got turned away from last weekend’s sold out show at Spaceland in Silver Lake. We told you, suckers. You got credit cards, use them! Call us cold blooded, but we totally zoned out the plight of our pals by the time The FFs started “White Diamonds.” That was also around the time we noticed that lead singer Ed Macfarlane’s poly-blend polo was completely soaked. Dude just does not stop moving (or sweating). By the time they played their self-declared slow song, “Strobe,” we were so convinced of their greatness that we thought John Hughes should come out of retirement just to put it in a movie. And while we hope our friends had fun with their XBoxes or whatever after they headed home, we know they missed out on a great show. We’re not even really tripping on the parking ticket we got that night. They are gone from these shores for now but continue a relentless tour through the UK and Europe in January.
Video: Friendly Fires at the Levi’s®/FADER Fort NYC
- story THE FADER
In the Gen F section in of FADER Number 57, Friendly Fires revealed that they used to all be in a hardcore band. Watching them at the Levi’s®/FADER Fort, the remnants of that yelling brutishness were evident, but tinted with a kinder British post-punk, extra percussion slat. The XL superstars-to-be were massively sweaty and incredibly chipper throughout their set, which included a lot of cowbell and woodblock, a dustbuster and ambient noise. When you start a band, do you think about how you will be when you perform? Are theatrics unnatural or manifested organically? Does it matter? Probably not.
-
posted on Oct 25, 2008 in EVENTS LEVI'S/FADER FORT SHOW tags EVENTS-LEVI'S/FADER FORT, Friendly Fires, rock
Exclusive Freeload: Friendly Fires, “Paris (Justus Kohncke remix)”
- story THE FADER
Our well-advertised love for the music of Brit trio Friendly Fires comes from many places—how their gleaming pop collapses into gelatin distortion freakouts, for instance, their affinity for house music, and endless hooks that we now know by heart. We also like them because they are so savvy. Why wouldn’t they get a German techno producer to remix a dreamy song about moving to Paris? It’s the minimal techno version of Euraling into your future. It is subtle, slightly ambient, and over ten minutes long. We played it in its entirety on the radio last Friday, violating every on-air DJ rule about time cutoffs, but then again we also karaoke over songs and curse and let dead air play out for a little bit, so does it look like we give a f about rules? We don’t need rules! We just need more remixes of “Paris.”
Download: Friendly Fires, “Paris (Justus Kohncke Remix)”
P.S. Friendly Fires is touring AND playing CMJ NYC, including the FADER Fort! Check it:
10/20 Music Hall (10 pm)
10/22 Annex (10:15 pm)
10/23 Pianos (3 pm)
10/23 FADER FORT!!! (6:45 pm)
-
posted on Oct 15, 2008 in MP3 / STREAMS tags electronic/dance, exclusive, freeload, Friendly Fires, rock
Video: Friendly Fires, “Paris”
- story THE FADER
Yes, Friendly Fires already made a video for “Paris” directed by Price James, which we liked a lot because it featured a floating silver ball of mercury-water, which looked like the Alexander Calder sculpture in the Joan Miro museum or when Donnie Darko sees time glooping from peoples’ stomachs or when our executive editor gets an ocular migraine. But Friendly Fires are so into arty videos (they are! and they are good at them!) that who cares that they made another one for “Paris,” because it is rad and features synchronized Pilates. This video is like the neon-tube exhibit in the permanent collection at MoMA, as choreographed by Michelle at Crunch gym. Also, when we interviewed them a couple of months ago for FADER 57 (on iTunes today!!), they said they loved the original video but felt weird playing live in it, because actually they are just reg dudes and not trying to be cool (paraphrase). Guess what Friendly Fires, you are super cool and we continue to listen to your album like once a day. Thanks.
Video: Friendly Fires, “Jump In The Pool”
- story THE FADER
We saw on another site somewhere — either the BBC or our little sister’s Twitter — that Friendly Fires have the top album of the week. Congratulations! We like them too, and we like director Price James, who’s somehow managed to make the ol’ underwater gimmick feel fresh and new. He also looks like every dude in Brooklyn. Quite the talent. Friendly Fires played St Tropez last night, so you know, great for them. The rest of you poor Brits can catch their tans all over the UK this month, and the rest of the world can get an mp3 of “Bring Out Your Dead” by signing up at their website.
Freeload: Friendly Fires, “Jump In The Pool”
FADER TV: Friendly Fires LIVE in New York City
