SXSW 2012

Sensual, provocatively percussive pop comes naturally to Friends. But you may be surprised by “I’m His Girl” – the second single from the Brooklyn newcomers – and just how cool and pop it is. As rapturous as Blondie’s best, and as stylish as Neneh Cherry’s tip-top pop gem “Buffalo Stance,” it’s the finest fusion of lo-fi indie cool and soulful urban textures of 2011. This quintet of essential and un-missable characters, led by the captivating 23-year-old Samantha Urbani, are unified by their single-minded musical independence and defiant trend resistance. These Friends play in traffic at a busy intersection of leftfield but party-hardy musical styles – ESG, Tom Tom Club, Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Warpaint – which they orchestrate effortlessly and winningly into a singular aesthetic. Fun and free spirited for sure, but it's always strong-minded. Check the lyrical message: “It's all about affection, not possession with us ... I'll do exactly what I want, when I'm with him and when I'm not.” Equally tantalising is the flipside. Ghost Town DJs’ 1996 hit, “My Boo”, has long been a live favourite for the band. Now here it is recorded: a full-throttle sing-a-long, retaining the thrilling pop sensibility of the original, and injecting a healthy dash of Friends’ effortless attitude and edgy groove. Friends have been tipped as a "Band To Watch" by NME, Stereogum, Q, and others. They have toured in the US, UK, and Europe. They'll release their debut album in March 2012.