Glossy Manchester band Girl Friend have come bounding out of the blocks with an intoxicating mix of cool eighties’ tinged electro-pop and Balearic sparkle.
Although they only formed in 2014, their music carries the sleek sophistication of a band well into their stride.
Part Hot Chip, part Hurts, they combine melancholic melodies with plenty of disco sass and charming retro sheen.
Check out their super-slick calling card Monte Carlo for the perfect introduction into what this band are all about.
With a comprehensive UK tour on the cards this April (details below), we caught up with the quartet to learn more about their effortless style and their love of ABBA and Lykke Li…
We first started writing music because...
We can't do anything else. I met Jake a few years ago and immediately fell in love... We began writing together with no particular aim, only a shared love of pop music; bands such as Depeche Mode, Soft Cell and Roxy Music.
We have been making music since...
We've been making music together for a several years now, however Girl Friend was only born in early 2014 when we felt we had a strong, cohesive body of work that we wanted to share with people.
Our music is...
International cosmopolitan art rock. Nothing more, nothing less...
You'll like our music if you listen to...
Cliff Richard, Early Sabbath and Linkin Park... No, well maybe, but on a more serious note, we’re quite into Chromeo at the moment, as well as the new EP from Great Good Fine OK. We discovered RKCB last year, they’re cool. As far as songwriting is concerned, we take a lot of influence from eighties’ Bowie, Japan and Robert Palmer and many other outrageous pop practitioners. So perhaps file us somewhere in between that lot.
Our favourite venue is...
We’ve only amassed a handful of gigs so far but we’d have to say Olympia in Dublin. A beautiful theatre in an amazing city.
Music is important because...
Reasons far too numerous to mention... ‘Who could live without it, I ask in all honesty, what would life be? Without a song or dance, what are we? So I say thank you for the music.’ In our case, it provides a career for four maladjusted work-shy posers.
Our biggest inspiration is...
We recently watched Wild Boys, a documentary about Duran Duran. I suppose it’s bands and artists with that level of ambition that are the biggest source of inspiration to us. Bands that aren’t bound by their own or anyone else’s perception of what they’re supposed to be. Limitless studio sessions, ridiculous indulgence and overall focus on making the best pop record they can.
Our dream collaboration would be...
This is a tough question! Do we have to pick just one? We’ve always had a weakness for Scandinavian pop music; be it Abba, Robyn, Lykke Li or our current crush Tove Lo. Her latest album Queen of the Clouds is a modern classic; infectious pop melancholia at its finest. Working with her would be something we’d be very interested in. However, if we’re talking about the entire history of pop music...David Bowie, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley and Phil Spector (before the trouble, and the hair.)
To try us out, listen to our song...
Monte Carlo.
If we weren’t making music we’d be...
Very unhappy.
In 10 years’ time we want to be...
Still unsatisfied with our work, still striving for more. We’re scared of being bored, only the boring are bored.
http://www.girlfriendband.com
www.youtube.com/girlfriendmcr
https://twitter.com/girlfriendmcr
Although they only formed in 2014, their music carries the sleek sophistication of a band well into their stride.
Part Hot Chip, part Hurts, they combine melancholic melodies with plenty of disco sass and charming retro sheen.
Check out their super-slick calling card Monte Carlo for the perfect introduction into what this band are all about.
With a comprehensive UK tour on the cards this April (details below), we caught up with the quartet to learn more about their effortless style and their love of ABBA and Lykke Li…
We first started writing music because...
We can't do anything else. I met Jake a few years ago and immediately fell in love... We began writing together with no particular aim, only a shared love of pop music; bands such as Depeche Mode, Soft Cell and Roxy Music.
We have been making music since...
We've been making music together for a several years now, however Girl Friend was only born in early 2014 when we felt we had a strong, cohesive body of work that we wanted to share with people.
Our music is...
International cosmopolitan art rock. Nothing more, nothing less...
You'll like our music if you listen to...
Cliff Richard, Early Sabbath and Linkin Park... No, well maybe, but on a more serious note, we’re quite into Chromeo at the moment, as well as the new EP from Great Good Fine OK. We discovered RKCB last year, they’re cool. As far as songwriting is concerned, we take a lot of influence from eighties’ Bowie, Japan and Robert Palmer and many other outrageous pop practitioners. So perhaps file us somewhere in between that lot.
Our favourite venue is...
We’ve only amassed a handful of gigs so far but we’d have to say Olympia in Dublin. A beautiful theatre in an amazing city.
Music is important because...
Reasons far too numerous to mention... ‘Who could live without it, I ask in all honesty, what would life be? Without a song or dance, what are we? So I say thank you for the music.’ In our case, it provides a career for four maladjusted work-shy posers.
Our biggest inspiration is...
We recently watched Wild Boys, a documentary about Duran Duran. I suppose it’s bands and artists with that level of ambition that are the biggest source of inspiration to us. Bands that aren’t bound by their own or anyone else’s perception of what they’re supposed to be. Limitless studio sessions, ridiculous indulgence and overall focus on making the best pop record they can.
Our dream collaboration would be...
This is a tough question! Do we have to pick just one? We’ve always had a weakness for Scandinavian pop music; be it Abba, Robyn, Lykke Li or our current crush Tove Lo. Her latest album Queen of the Clouds is a modern classic; infectious pop melancholia at its finest. Working with her would be something we’d be very interested in. However, if we’re talking about the entire history of pop music...David Bowie, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley and Phil Spector (before the trouble, and the hair.)
To try us out, listen to our song...
Monte Carlo.
If we weren’t making music we’d be...
Very unhappy.
In 10 years’ time we want to be...
Still unsatisfied with our work, still striving for more. We’re scared of being bored, only the boring are bored.
http://www.girlfriendband.com
www.youtube.com/girlfriendmcr
https://twitter.com/girlfriendmcr
Tour dates:
11 April: Ruby Lounge, Manchester.
12 April: Brudenell Social Club, Leeds.
13 April: Fibbers, York.
15 April: King Tuts, Glasgow.
16 April: Think Tank, Newcastle.
17 April: Picture House Social, Sheffield.
18 April: The Shipping Forecast, Liverpool.
20 April: Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham.
21 April: Crofters Rights, Bristol.
23 April: The Cookie, Leicester.
24 April: Also Known As, Banbury.
25 April: Lennons, Southampton.
26 April: Prince Albert, Brighton.
11 April: Ruby Lounge, Manchester.
12 April: Brudenell Social Club, Leeds.
13 April: Fibbers, York.
15 April: King Tuts, Glasgow.
16 April: Think Tank, Newcastle.
17 April: Picture House Social, Sheffield.
18 April: The Shipping Forecast, Liverpool.
20 April: Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham.
21 April: Crofters Rights, Bristol.
23 April: The Cookie, Leicester.
24 April: Also Known As, Banbury.
25 April: Lennons, Southampton.
26 April: Prince Albert, Brighton.
