Brighton, England's
Fickle Friends
already had a strong grasp on making hooky, synth-accented indie pop when they released their inspired debut, 2018's
Mike Crossey
-produced
You Are Someone Else
. While that album certainly showcased their skill at crafting emotive anthems rife with frothy, dance-oriented arrangements, they continued to hone their sound, spending much of 2019 and 2020 working on two self-produced EPs, Weird Years (Season 1 and 2), that found them maturing and deepening their '80s and '90s pop influences. Building nicely upon that process,
' sophomore full-length, 2022's
Are We Gonna Be Alright?
, is immediately engaging with a sound that's as catchy as their past work. Produced by guitarist
Jack Wilson
, the album has a nuanced sophistication that balances synthy, dayglow ambience, glassy post-punk guitars, and shimmering dance grooves. Several tracks, including "Love You to Death" and "Glow," have a funky, polyester-toned kineticism that brings to mind
Prince
. Conversely, cuts like "Write Me a Song" and "Yeah Yeah Yeah" mash distorted electro-grunge guitars with swirling EDM sound swells, all of which evokes the '90s alt-rock swagger of bands like
Garbage
and
Blur
. Once again at the center of the group's sound is vocalist
Natti Shiner
, whose warm, down-to-earth sensuality and lyrics about house parties, online dating, and, as on "Not Okay," trying to vocalize her fear for the future add a soft relatability to the band's effusive, cinematic pop. ~ Matt Collar