The London group mix a melting pot of influences on ‘Fewer Closer Friends’.
NEW MUSIC | FOLLY GROUP | WORDS BY LAURA PEGLAR
The realisation of how precarious your situation is, when you leave home with sky-high debts, no financial support, and a matchbox sized room in which to endlessly mull over your next move, is somewhat overwhelming. Add one pandemic, one shrinking economy and a live music industry on pause (at best) until further notice, and it’s enough to stir-craze even the most optimistic among us. Acknowledging this struggle are Folly Group, a post-punk outfit who offer a moment of sonic alleviation in the form of ‘Fewer Closer Friends’.
As stabbing guitar sounds sporadically interject between erratic sampled beats, we’re sent whirring into a melting pot of audio angst. Found jittering between the melting points of post-punk and electronic music, the London band channel the raw energy of Girl Band or Iceage, whilst also cater for a sweaty, groove-ridden 4am crowd. Drummer and co-vocalist Sean Harper’s cynical lyrics ooze intensity and are delivered with impassioned frustration. Crafting meticulous tempo changes around high-speed hooks, the track becomes a wide-eyed frenzy of relentless release.
Accompanying the single is the equally mind-bending music video. A naked Action Man figurine headbangs it’s way through the threat of wild animal attack in a kaleidoscopic video game setting, it is not to pose the question why, instead why not? In an entrancing mirage of strobe-fuelled colour, it certainly beats watching 2020’s government bulletins.
Whilst ‘Fewer Closer Friends’ is fervently itching to get on stage, it also demonstrates the group’s ability to capture the essence of their live set in a more subdued recording environment. All proceeds of their Bandcamp sales are being split between The Black Curriculum and Campaign Zero, if ever there was a band worthy of your support, Folly Group should be towards the top of that list.
hardofhearingmagazine.com 