Issue Fifty
Also inside: Monobloc Crack Cloud Fcukers Ebbb TTSSFU Blue Polar triage The Itch Mên An Tol
fontaines d.c.
So Young x Rough Trade roughtrade.com
We’ve made it to the middle of 2024, and with it comes our fiftieth issue of So Young. We are grateful to every contributor, collaborator, band and artist who has helped us reach this milestone and given so much support to our independent print magazine. There probably isn’t a better way to celebrate than having the most exciting band in the world right now, Fontaines D.C. on the cover. They’re a band who have featured inside our pages many times, as well as live stages we’ve curated and gratefully, on our celebratory compilation too. With new album ‘Romance’ on its way in August, we sit down with the band at an Irish pub in London to chat through the rise to this point, the influence of new genres and giving fans everything they came for, night after night. It’s a pleasure to welcome Crack Cloud back to the pages of So Young. They’re a band we’ve all had obsessive moments with, so having them back, with a new label in Jagjaguwar supporting, makes this a very exciting time indeed. With new album ‘Red Mile’ coming in July, we reconnected with the band to discuss the Mojave, working with a label for the first time and the obsessiveness of their collective. NYC’s Fcukers are within an exciting moment, filling venues, empty swimming pools and any other unconventional space they can think of. The three piece are at the forefront of an exciting wave of indie dance music and they know their roots. With more miles in their legs and more music in the tank, we checked in for the second time to hear what’s been going on and dig into the DJ’s, movements and genres which inspire them the most. Heading back to the UK, and to London, Ebbb have been making some impressive waves over the last 12 months. Landing somewhere between industrial and ambient, Ebbb have created a sound which feels truly unique to them at such an early stage of their career, and its with that it becomes no surprise that they’ve now signed with Ninja Tune. Ahead of the release of their debut EP, we sent over some questions to dig away for a few extra details from the mysterious trio.
Staying in the capital, The Itch have been playing countless shows in all the great small venues in the city. Until recently, the band had solely built their reputation upon their live shows, but now, with a debut single in the world (‘Ursula’) the noise is travelling further and wider. We gave Georgia and Simon a call to chat about their rotating band of talented musicians and their brand of disco rock. TTSSFU, is the solo project led by Manchester’s Tasmin Nicole Stephens. Alongside her commitments to punk-rock band, Duvet, Tasmin has recently released her debut EP ‘Me, Jed and Andy’. TTSSFU’s gothic wash of shoegaze has been turning heads up and down the country over the last few months and we spoke via video call to see what’s been going on and how the solo project grew from secret iphone demos to an upcoming summer full of shows to packed rooms. EP’s are always an exciting first dive into a new band. Not intended to be the finished article, but enough to be introduced to a band’s first ideas and get excited. ‘fox hours’, the debut EP from triage has served that purpose and then some. Following tour dates with bar italia, and recording with Stereolab’s Andy Ramsay, the five piece are beginning to make their mark. Meeting up in London, the band answered some quick fire questions to get warmed up before letting us into their inner workings. Another EP we are excited for is the debut from Blue Polar. Since playing our We Are So Young night at Sebright Arms, the bands impressive single ‘Blinded’ has found itself on repeat in our heads and we needed to know more. Inside, we chat influences and the creative hub in which the band has been built upon. Finishing the features is an interview with NYC’s Monobloc, a band who have found themselves building their audience in Europe before back at home. With plenty of groundwork and opening slots under their belt, the group are ready to step things up. Starting with a support slot with LCD Soundsystem.
4 Blue Polar London’s Raining
35 Ebbb Playing with Extremes
7 TTSSFU Secret Soundcloud
40 The Itch Disco Rock
11 Fontaines D.C. Romance
43 Mên An Tol Folk is the Soul
24 Monobloc I’m Just Trying to Love You
50 Fcukers Empty Pool Party
32 Crack Cloud The Mojave
53 triage Daylight Robbery
Editors Sam Ford
Josh Whettingsteel
Writers Sam Ford
Peter Martin
Amber Lashley Leo Lawton
Eve Boothroyd
Teddy Maloney Elvis Thirlwell Reuben Cross
Rhys Buchanan Poppy Richler Will Macnab
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Hanneke Rozemuller
Aleksandra Georgieva Cameron JL West Laura Simonati Yuka Masuko
Victoria Nikolova Cassady Moll REN
Cécile Cuny
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