Friendly Fires

Friendly Fires formed in St Albans in 2006, Ed Macfarlane, Edd Gibson, and Jack Savidge developing a sound that drew on post-punk, tropical music, and electronic dance in ways that felt genuinely new. Macfarlane's vocals — high, passionate, and entirely distinctive — were the emotional centre of everything they did, and the band's rhythmic complexity gave their music a depth that belied its surface euphoria.

Their debut album 'Friendly Fires' (2008) was a critical and commercial success, shortlisted for the Mercury Prize and producing the singles 'Jump in the Pool', 'Paris', and 'Skeleton Boy'. The album's combination of post-punk energy and tropical, danceable rhythms was unlike most of what was happening in British indie at the time. 'Pala' (2011) continued their development.

Friendly Fires went on an extended hiatus before returning with 'Inflorescent' (2019), which was widely acclaimed as a strong return to form. They remain one of the more distinctive and enjoyable British indie acts of their generation — a band whose music is genuinely euphoric without sacrificing depth. ⚠ Flag: post-2019 activity — verify any releases since 'Inflorescent'.