It’s fair to say that anticipation for the debut album from New York duo, Fcukers, is pretty spectacularly high (you can decide how to say it in public: “F-c-u-kers” in the staff room at work or how you think it’s said if you’re itching for a disciplinary). Since the New York-meets-Berlin house of “Bon Bon” and the cheeky, Beck-sampling “Homie Don’t Shake”, the pair have chosen their path wisely. Popping up at Glastonbury and Coachella, they have steadily turned from quirky electronic duo to the buzz band of the moment. The question is: have they turned that initial excitement into a long-player worthy of the hoopla?
Hype has crippled many a band before they’ve barely begun, and Fcukers seem all too aware of that fact. After labouring over ideas for the album, the pair flew to California for a change of scene. They ended up having coffee with producer Kenneth Blume (aka the legend-in-the-making Kenny Beats). Immediately taken by one of their demos, the trio spent the day jamming, revelling in the simple joy of creation. Sensing these sessions could lead to something more, the three of them essentially blasted out the album in a fortnight. The result is a spontaneous ball of energy that doesn’t need you to think; it needs you to move.
Opener “Beatback” immediately gets the party started, with everyone invited. Scaffolded beats and thrumming club-tooled synths frame singer Shanny Wise’s nonchalant vocals as she weaves in the simplest of vocal lines that stick, limpet-like, to the subconscious. The first single from the record, “L.U.C.K.Y”, emulates that Confidence Man trick of spelling the title, but with similar elan. Musically, layers of colourful synth lines rain down like confetti on a track that exists in a state of perpetual animation. Born from an impromptu session at Kenny Beats’ Los Angeles studio, the track perfectly captures the electric chemistry they share.
The super smooth “Butterflies” showcases Wise’s breathless vocals over carefully layered electronics. ‘If you wanna party, come over to my house’ serves as the album’s mission statement. Designed to ignite the dancefloor, it sounds absolutely massive as if channelling the energy of every club in LA all at once. Make no bones about it, Fcukers are having a party and every soul is invited.
“Play Me” keeps the floor pumping, marrying classic 1990s drum’n’bass with pitched vocals and old school DJ scratching. Wise is the epitome of cool with her unflappable vocals anchoring the storm of choppy electronics and stuttering beats. Throughout the album, it’s her undeniably cool, main-character energy that holds it together. “Shake It Up” struts around the dance floor with its throbbing bassline and zesty beats that demand attention. It’s a perfect blend of banging house and indie sleeze and has understandably already become the sweaty apex of their live shows.
“I Like It Like That” is probably the song that has the best chance of pushing them from a misfit indie electronic duo to bona fide superstars. The whole thing is pure groove. Simple and clean, they boil the backing to its bare bones to frame Wise’s mantra like vocals. If radio were still a thing, it’s the kind of song that would become inescapable come the summer.
“TTYGF” is arguably the only slight stumble on the record. The dancehall vibes are well-intentioned but come across as a little forced and mismatched, like two songs that don’t quite fit together. On an album completed in just a fortnight, it’s understandable that not everything quite lands. Order is restored on “Lonely” as the pair play tug of war between ambient electronics and pumping synths. Its steadfast refusal to stay in one place for too long highlights the pair’s inventiveness, suggesting a career that will extend well into the future.
“Getaway” proudly wears its 1990s dance influences on its sleeve, with breakbeats and bass samples, while the album closer, “Feel the Real”, hints at their indie background. With a clearer song structure, it plays like a moodier, electronic-infused rock song. Actually, the first song written for the album, It’s easy to see why Kenny Beats was so keen to work with the pair upon hearing it for the first time.
There is no doubt that Fcukers are here for a good time. Thankfully, that translates perfectly on Ö. Assembled from a love of 2000s hip-hop, UK garage, dub, and trip-hop, every track feels like a fresh, club-ready anthem. Songs topple over each other as if in competition to be the first to set off the dizziest of highs. Fcukers are a vibe, and they know it. The hype may have brought us to the door, but the music is why we’re staying for the afterparty.