Friendly Fires

Friendly Fires formed in St Albans in 2006 with Ed Macfarlane on vocals and guitar, Edd Gibson on keyboards and bass, and Jack Savidge on drums. Their self-titled debut album came out in 2008, leaning into synth-heavy grooves and danceable hooks that drew some comparisons to acts like LCD Soundsystem. Songs like 'Skeleton Boy' and 'Paris' from that record got picked up as club anthems around the UK electronic scene.

They put out two more albums, Pala in 2011 and Inflorescent in 2019, keeping a focus on upbeat, melodic dance music. Tracks such as 'Hawaiian Air' and 'Run The Wild Flowers' carried that same bright, synth-driven energy. The band did have to adjust after bassist Matt Stuckey left in 2011, but they kept working as a trio.

Some critics have pointed out that their sound leans on familiar electronic influences, but Friendly Fires have generally stuck to their lane, crafting straightforward, euphoric dance pop without too much fuss.