By It’s our Bandcamp Picks of the Week, featuring ornate, stone-faced indie rock from Friko and a triumphant return for post-punkers Omni
Friko – WHERE WE’VE BEEN, WHERE WE GO FROM HERE
Genre: Indie Rock, Chamber Pop
Favorite Tracks: “Where We’ve Been,” “Chemical,” “Get Numb to It!”
Although Friko came up in the same Chicago indie rock scene as Lifeguard and Horsegirl, there’s a softer edge to WHERE WE’VE BEEN, WHERE WE GO FROM HERE than either of those peers’ material. Where those two deal in wiry, uneasy post-punk, Friko’s debut album is stone-faced indie rock, the spaces filled out with ornate orchestration. The obvious comparison point here is Bright Eyes’ LIFTED…, especially with Niko Kapetan’s voice, but I hear a lot of the Epoch artists too—particularly Bellows, if they swapped out the electronic palette for more symphonic instrumentation.
The title track that opens the LP traces the album’s arc in miniature; Kapetan mumbles over a tight guitar line as the song creaks to life behind him, exploding into a noisy, freewheeling climax before disintegrating again. Like many of the best songs on WHERE WE’VE BEEN, WHERE WE GO FROM HERE, the dynamic thrust of “Where We’ve Been” feels both totally natural and entirely unpredictable; tracks like “Crimson to Chrome” and “Chemical” have the loose, seasick lurch that defined early Titus Andronicus, and Kapetan’s phrasing and melodic sensibilities occasionally recall Los Campesinos! at their tensest. Forgive the namedrops, if you will, but as others note, there is a lot to WHERE WE’VE BEEN, WHERE WE GO FROM HERE that looks backward to the critical darlings of the mid-to-late-2000s indie scene. That title seems an appropriate one for an album like this; Friko is cataloging the evolution of the genre in real time. It’ll be fascinating to see where it takes them. Grab it on Bandcamp. [Zac Djamoos]
Omni – SOUVENIR
Genre: Post-Punk
Favorite Tracks: “Plastic Pyramid,” “Granite Kiss”
For reasons, I abhor change. That sentiment has defined my relationship with Omni (featuring ex-Deerhunter guitarist Frankie Broyles). From 2016’s DELUXE to 2017’s MULTI-TASK and 2019’s NETWORKER (their Sub Pop debut), Omni’s shifted away from tight-knit post-punk into more multifaceted terrain. Yet I’ve stayed the course as their sound retained a precise yet playful core. But now comes SOUVENIR, representing perhaps their most drastic shift to date. Can my fandom flourish further, or is this a bridge too far?
Joyously, my adoration is renewed thanks to a re-focused Omni, who emerge post-COVID with greater force and passion. Singer/bassist Philip Frobos’ vocal performance is not only triply confident, but there’s greater range and textures. Plus, Frobos and Broyles further align as writing partners, perfecting their musical language. And it goes deeper still. SOUVENIR’s 11 individual tracks are described as “compact unit[s] that stands on its own,” and this sampler platter approach leans into Omini’s sturdy post-punk core while offering massive spaces for experimentation.
The front third-ish is where the curious energy coalesces. There’s “Exacto,” which adds exaggerated glee for borderline dance-pop. Or, “Plastic Pyramid,” where Automatic’s Izzy Glaudini co-forges a Devo-meets-B-52’s jam from an alternate 1980s Atlanta. “INTL Waters,” meanwhile, pulls on prog rock and Elton John threads to take Omni’s sound up to its own stratosphere. They’re among the band’s most lavish offerings, and they land with mega-energy for a wonderfully disarming experience. They are growth grounded in that spirit of carefree fun and adventure, and a commitment by a band to rock out no matter where the winds might push.
Meanwhile, the back half-ish feels closer to the band I fell for circa “Afterlife.” Sure, there’s “outliers”—”Double Negative” retains those pop aspirations, and “PG” spins in kraut-ian undertones—but everything else hums with a more direct intent. It’s why “Granite Kiss” is a solid DELUXE B-side (and their finest chorus ever). Or, how “Verdict” and “F1” employ flourishes to extend their roots in interesting directions. Even “Compliment” holds that sleek, sexy core as it barrels toward sweatier, more intricate directions.
It’s Omni having their cake and eating it too—giving us a solid core that resonates with older listeners as they cultivate new sounds and fanbases. That alone is wildly entertaining, but I see something greater here, still. Omni know it’s been so long, and they’re in a place to bridge divides both in themselves and the audience. It’s not about pleasing one group over another, but coming to a record that draws a circle and invites us all in. Once we’re gathered, the record entertains and confronts, flirts and battles in a way that lets Omni’s real core shine—their work is to lead the way through the very best ideas and the most endearing configurations. A record that blurs reality and art into something undeniable. Sure, change sucks, but much less so as Omni guides with passion, depth, and sincerity. Forget this album title reflecting “a stash of musical miniatures”—it’s a prize before Omni to blast off further into the future. Listen to it now over on Bandcamp. [Chris Coplan]
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