The F16s: is it still time to eat the rich? Album review
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The indie-rock revival of the early 2000s took a few years to hit the shores of India, where bands had spent much of a decade yet again whipping the corpses of grunge and the ’90s alternative. It wasn’t until about 2011 that a new generation of acts, inspired by the post-punk retromania of The Strokes and LCD Soundsystem, as well as the new ubiquity of YouTube and broadband, found new reservoirs. untapped resources so far. inspiration. This “new wave” âincluding bands like high octane garage rockers light years are exploding, cabaret-jazz punks Peter Cat Recording Co., and the post-punk revivalists, the F16, have arrived at a rare moment of optimism in Indian underground rock. Rock bands have headlined some of the country’s biggest festivals, making their presence felt on the soundtracks of Bollywood films and even gaining the attention of international rock publications. (The two Rolling stone and NME launched Indian editions around this time.)
The optimism was short-lived. After opening the door to independent music to enter the national mainstream, rock was sidelined by EDM and hip-hop, eventually finding itself on the fringes of the industry. The little space left for guitar music was quickly occupied by bland, harmless singer-songwriters hoping for a lucrative timing chord. But while many of their contemporaries disbanded or reinvented themselves as bedroom producers, the F16 persevered. On two EP, an entire (2016 Triggerpunkte) and a series of singles, the band refined their sound – a nostalgic blend of the past four decades of indie rock – into dense, dancing alt-pop. In the process, they reached all the heights accessible to a rock band in India which, by their own admission, are not numerous. With their new EP, Is there still time to eat the rich?, the F16 have been playing their game for a long time for international recognition.
Take a step back from Tame Impala fanboyism of the 2019s WKND FRNDSâA collection of woozy and synthesized heartbreaking balladsâIs there still time to eat the rich? goes back to the post-punk roots of the F16, now complemented by a healthy dose of G-funk synths and neo-soul melodies. Frontman Joshua Fernandez remains obsessed with the impermanence of contemporary romance and its own imperfections (both cohesive themes), but there is a darker political side to his lyrics as he confronts growing authoritarianism and revanchism. culture of India. The F16’s rock’n’roll intransigence has always been at odds with the mainstream Tory: When Fernandez smashed a guitar on stage at a music festival in 2016, he was greeted with howls of indignation. But the events of recent years – community riots, arbitrary arrests of dissenting voices, online mobs of right-wing trolls – have made clear the existential nature of India’s ongoing socio-political crisis. Ironic detachment is no longer an option.
But despite what the title suggests, this is not a record of political controversy. In fact, the music is decidedly festive, filled with sunny synths, neon grooves and catchy pop melodies. It’s only when you pay more attention to the lyrics – which Fernandez delivers in a cheeky falsetto and expansive baritone of chamber pop – do you realize that you are, as one band member put it, “in. dancing on (your) destiny. The ‘I’m on Holiday’ opener mixes classic doo-wop, psychedelic rock, new wave and afro-pop in a summery tropical cocktail, imagining the lockdown-induced separation from loved ones as a holiday song. Never have the words “I’m on vacation, forever” sounding sinister. Driven by Abhinav Krishnaswamy’s guitar and brass section, “Trouble in Paradise” breathes new life into rock trope alternative of the self-identified misanthrope. “Easy Wake Easy Bake” opens with a submerged synth line which, in its blend of AM gold and psychedelia, is essentially a sample of ready-to-use Avalanches. also the terrific line “She fucks me like the government” – delivered with a straight face.
“Sucks to Be Human” is a maximalist synth and disco beat, a halogen-style retro-futuristic tour of alienation, planetary destruction and space-escape fantasies of billionaires. This is the first of two tracks on the record that looks beyond Fernandez’s emotional universe to the world around him. The other is closer to âThe Apocalypseâ, an ode to nihilist eco-millennialism: âSOS! Don’t panic, “says the falsetto chorus,” Bless our death, we have doomed our planet. There is something daring about this ecstatic invocation of self-annihilation. Maybe that’s why they end the track with a slight reprieve: âWe’re all going to be fine,â sings Fernandez. Are we going? The F16 aren’t the first group to hide disturbing messages under outwardly happy melodies, and sometimes they wear their influences too openly on their sleeve. But the instant familiarity is offset by their technical and songwriting skills. Just grab a drink and dance to the extinction.
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