Special Friend - “Bête”

The Parisian duo of Special Friend released my favorite album of 2021. Their debut full-length, Ennemi Commun, was a low-fidelity masterpiece. The pairing of perfectly distorted melancholy and bare-bones indie-pop instrumentation evoked the same kind of feelings as hearing Yo La Tengo’s Painful or Beat Happening’s You Turn Me On for the first time. A rare feat in this day and age. 

Two years later, the upstart group is preparing to release their second full-length, Wait Until The Flames Come Rushing In, which is scheduled for release on June 30th. Late last month, they shared the record’s lead single, “Bête,” a gorgeously serene track that’s a nice extension of the songs on their debut.

Resting on the laurels of some absolutely ear-wormy vocal melodies, drummer Erica Ashleson and guitarist Guillaume Siracusa trade singing duties seamlessly throughout, alternating between French and English. The languid guitars and steady, soft drumming have a nice sedative effect, while the duo’s words are laser-focused on humanity’s seemingly uncontrollable self-destructive tendencies. 

Stream “Bête” below!

You can pre-order a copy of Wait Until The Flames Come Rushing In on vinyl through via Bandcamp. “Bête” is also available on all streaming platforms.

To learn more about Special Friend, check out our interview with them from 2021. Keep up with the band by following them on Instagram.