Following on from the success behind their recent single 'Fever', which was played on BBC Radio 1's Introducing show with Gemma Bradley and added to the New In Rock playlist on Apple Music, Bristol-based indie outfit Make Friends have now released their highly-anticipated new EP 'Is This Real', alongside the vibrant title-track.
Also featuring the three previous shared efforts 'Sleep Sound', 'Call Me Out', and 'Safe To Say', the new five-track collection sees the group deliver the same fresh and energetic direction they have cultivated for themselves over the last few years. Showing off their flair for exciting and adventurous indie-rock tropes, the band are emerging out of the lockdowns with a rejuvenated and ambitious sensibility, filled with euphoric hooks and shimmering aesthetics.
Speaking about the new collection, the band said, "Our new EP is a culmination of songs written during the tumultuous period of the last year and a half or so. The title 'Is This Real' is a statement that reflects the frantic and surreal nature of recent events that have become the norm in our day to day lives. These songs present a change in our thoughts and feelings, and the mental challenges we've experienced."
Showcased by the EP's title-track, the new single 'Is This Real' perfectly sums up the bold and driven direction the outfit have been pushing throughout the last year. Packed with the same bright and glittering direction as their offerings to date, this new effort puts a lid on their 2021 pursuits and offers an exciting glimpse into what we can expect from them as they continue to work on their long-awaited debut album, due out next year.
After selling out Rough Trade in Bristol pre-pandemic, Make Friends' live show has rebounded in dramatic fashion, supporting LAB Records' King No-One at Bristol's Thekla and the O2 Academy Islington. Following these shows, the band are set to embark on a headline tour across the UK, booked in partnership with Marshall Amplifiers' exciting new live agency.
See the full list of UK live tour dates below. Tickets available here.
16th Oct - Wild Paths Festival
*December Headline Tour*
- 2nd - Oporto, Leeds
- 3rd - Little Buildings, Newcastle
- 4th - The Jacaranda, Liverpool
- 9th - The Hope & Ruin, Brighton
- 11th - Night People, Manchester
- 16th - Muthers, Birmingham
- 17th - The Grace, London
- 18th - Thekla, Bristol
Brought together through a shared love of progressive indie-pop, Make Friends formed whilst studying in Bath. The band really found their sound when they migrated a few miles down the road to Bristol and began working with producer Peter Sené, a touring member of Everything Everything and John Grant.
Whilst the band take cues from contemporaries such as Sam Fender and Sundara Karma, their inspiration has always been driven from classics, be that the bass-driven groove of The Police or the atmospheric, chorus guitars of The Cure. Make Friends have never found themselves put into boxes and freedom during their writing has always been important, giving them the space to push boundaries and try something totally new.
Moving into their 3rd body of work 'Is This Real', once again produced with Sené, the band have continued to build on the formula that has got them so far, but with the dials turned up universally. The songwriting has become more nuanced, the production stepped up and the mixing - courtesy of Invada Studios', James Trevascus (Beak, Billy Nomates) - has given their music the superior sound it deserves.
To the delight of long-term industry fans James Threlfall (BBC Introducing), Radio X's Jack Wood, who described EP track 'Sleep Sound' as his "anthem of the summer" and Amazing Radio DJs Shell Zenner and Charlie Ashcroft, who have continually supported the EP, playlisting each release; 'Is This Real' is the EP of a band finding their stride. Driven to continually progress however, Make Friends are now set to drop their debut album, due to be released in 2022.
LISTEN TO 'IS THIS REAL' On Soundcloud | On Spotify | On DSPs