From Chicago, Illinois
Recommended if you like Modest Mouse, Wilco, Car Seat Headrest
Up next Second album Something Worth Waiting For out 24 April, touring the US from April and Europe in summer
In Friko’s hands, a swirl of influences and experiments curve the many colours of indie rock into an endlessly inventive, radiant ramble. The Chicago band’s upcoming, cheekily titled second album, Something Worth Waiting For, explores the energy of yearning: for growth, for change, for stability. Across nine tracks, Friko take inspiration from their recent spate of touring to orbit the idea of finding things worth moving for and the value of the journey itself.
Single Choo Choo rushes headlong into the joy of riding back to family and home, words flying out of vocalist-guitarist’s Niko Kapetan’s mouth in an eyeball-to-eyeball invocation of fighting stagnancy with a hopeful indie rock melody and a classic American road meal of “chili dogs, Philly steaks, and Pepto”. Kapetan’s quavering vocals sniff out a sense of urgency, like Sparks’ Russell Mael with a yelp worthy of Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock, while the interplay between his and Korgan Robb’s guitars fuses a Microphones-y burn with glistening atmospherics.
Since their dynamic debut, 2024’s Where We’ve Been, Where We Go From Here, Friko have now morphed from a duo (Kapetan and drummer Bailey Minzenberger) into a four-piece with Robb and touring bassist David Fuller, and enlisted Grammy-winning producer John Congleton (Mannequin Pussy, the Mountain Goats, St Vincent) for this album: the Bowie-esque chamber pop ballad Seven Degrees reflects the expansion of their cohort. That’s Friko’s obvious appeal: even in the mess of uncertainty we’re living through, having your friends around while the world crumbles makes all the difference. As they sing on Choo Choo: “Just come on and get on board / Where we goin’ now?” Lior Phillips
This week’s best new tracks
Wallis – Biscuit
The self-described “sound design fanatic” stirs up a bubbling bog of techno at its squelchiest and most merciless, her gloopy acidic bubbles bursting against mutant vocal zips and diamond-sharp shudder.
Beth Orton – The Ground Above
An epic one-off from Orton, in which her charged voice can barely contain its rage, while her intuitive band – including Shahzad Ismaily on bass – brood and fizz, keeping the ship steady.
Chxrry – Hall of Fame
“I know I’m too sexy to go home” is an entertaining chorus to sing along to while bobbing around Tesco, though the Toronto pop star’s Addison Rae-worthy fame-worship banger sells the fantasy.
Darlin’ – The Differences
From a huge new compilation benefitting the US Immigrant Defense Project, Wendy Eisenberg’s trio weave an unusual but utterly disarming tapestry of soft country and open-ended jazz. (Not on Spotify: buy it at Bandcamp)
Jeff Parker ETA IVTet – Like Swimwear (Part One)
This August 2025 recording kept Parker hopeful when his family was displaced by wildfires: he and drummer Jay Bellerose, bassist Anna Butterss and saxophonist Josh Johnson nudge minimalist beginnings into fertile wonder.
Skrillex and Young Miko – Duro
The dubstep prince and Puerto Rican rapper get the wheels off in time for the long weekend, her plaintive AutoTuned vocals worming around his retina-menacing laser synths.
Cass McCombs – Seeing the Elephant
There’s more than a touch of Jonathan Richman to this wonderfully scruffy, full-pelt garage rocker – see lyric “I saw the elephant / It was so majestephant” – a far cry from the brimming soul of McCombs’ last LP.
Laura Snapes
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