Friko announce debut album, Where we've been, Where we go from here

On new single, "Crashing Through", Friko delve deeper into the album-wide theme that Kapetan encapsulates as “wanting better for yourself and the people around you, but wondering how you can possibly do that with the world we live in,” channeling both despair and glory in the song’s choir-like vocals.

“It wasn’t intentional for us to have group vocals all over this record,” Kapetan points out, noting that album co-producers Scott Tallarida and Jack Henry, along with several close friends, joined the band in singing backup. “It just happened naturally because we all kept singing along.”

The accompanying "Crashing Through" video, which was directed by Alec Basse, is a transportive encapsulation of Friko’s music. Filmed in Chicago and featuring appearances from the band’s sprawling network of friends and fellow artists, it exudes a sense of community that is inherent to Friko. Recorded within their friend group on a shoe-string budget paid out of the band’s own pocket, the forthcoming album, Where we’ve been, Where we go from here is a testament to Chicago’s storied DIY ethos.

Where we’ve been, Where we go from here follows Friko's self-released debut EP, Whenever Forever, which was released in 2022. The album was a DIY endeavour completed before Friko’s signing to ATO, enlisting the talents of friends like Eli Schmitt (creator of the album artwork), video director Alice Avery, and tour manager Stas Slyvka.

“So much of this record happened because of friends helping us out, like Scott letting us use his studio,” says Kapetan. “It’s also an event space, so there’d be times when Scott, Jack, and I would be working on mixing the record with a town-hall meeting going on in the next room.”

Tracklist:

1. Where We've Been
2. Crimson to Chrome
3. Crashing Through
4. For Ella
5. Chemical
6. Statues
7. Until I'm With You Again
8. Get Numb To It!
9. Cardinal