Friendly Fires: ‘Friendly Fires’

Released on none-more-cool imprint Moshi Moshi last year, Friendly Fires’ 'Paris' 7-inch was a genius mix of cowbell-whacking dance, wide-eyed romanticism and blissful washes of My Bloody Valentine-style noise. Thankfully, cracking open the St Albans’ trio’s debut reveals it to be just one of many treats on offer.

Paul Epworth-produced opener 'Jump in The Pool' throws even more splashes of ethereal ambience into the mix alongside Brazilian rhythms and carnival whistles, while 'The Hospital' injects the 70’s ‘fonk’ of George Clinton into the fertile punk-funk soil The Rapture failed to capitalise on in 2004.

Given the sonic breadth on offer, it’s a surprise to learn that ('Jump In The Pool' aside) Friendly Fires was recorded by the band in the garage of vocalist/keyboard player Ed Macfarlane’s parent’s garage, recalling in both sound and genesis the bedroom dance-rock of Tom Vek’s cruelly overlooked 'We Have Sound'.

While they may be the fashionista’s current flavour of the month, each track here - 'On Board’'s sexed-up falsetto, the Queen-on-E camp disco strut of 'White Diamonds' and 'Skeleton Boy’'s malfunctioning electro snap - displays a razor sharp pop sensibility that surely has one eye on mainstream chart success. Good luck to ‘em.

Released on 1st September 2008 by XL Recordings.

Written by Christopher Catchpole.