Hello WUSC Blog! I’m DJ Laz from Subterranean Radio Tunes (on Tuesdays from 4-
5PM btw) and I’m going to be reviewing Friko's debut album Where we’ve been,
Where we go from here!
Friko is an indie rock duo out of Chicago featuring Niko Kapetan and Bailey
Minzenberger. Friko released their first EP, EP1 in 2020 with a follow-up, Whenever
Forever in 2022. Friko has been described as many things, indie rock, indie pop,
chamber pop, post-punk, noise pop, you get the idea. All I have to say about those
descriptors is YES!
So, let's get into the actual album. I had high expectations coming in, due in part to
a raving recommendation from a trusted friend (this guy put me onto Black Country,
New Road before their debut LP so you know he’s good). When I put on the first
track “Where We’ve Been” I was skeptical for the first half, thinking, “Is this just
another ‘indie’ guy with an acoustic guitar who kinda sounds like Thom Yorke?”.
After that thought, I was sucked in by an overdriven guitar and what I can only
identify as muffled yelling. Before I realized what had happened, I had already
finished the album... multiple times. Every track is veiled with a light audio haze,
almost as if you were listening through an old radio or a frayed aux cable, but in a
good way. This album is versatile, you have softer tracks like the emotional, piano--
led, “For Ella” and “Until I’m With You Again”, some noise/indie rock fare like
“Statues” and “Crashing Through.” Then we have what are, for me at least, the
standouts; the Funeral-esque “Get Numb To It!” and the total rocker “Chemical”
To put it succinctly, Where we’ve been, Where we go from here is a beautiful
homage to (recreation of? Continuation of?) early 2000s indie rock. It makes me
feel nostalgic for both the album and the past, and it's only been out since February
16th! This album rocks, period. If you can, set aside some time to give it a listen today, seriously.
Image of the band courtesy of Nando Espinosa Herrera
To learn more about Friko, check out their bandcamp, or read this article!
Hi! My name is Joshua Lazenby AKA DJ Laz. I’m from Irmo, SC and I’m a junior integrated information technology major. I’ve been with WUSC since spring 2022 and loved every second of it! Be sure to catch my show, Subterranean Radio Tunes (I’ll play something good just for you)!