New Audio: Bristol’s Make Friends Shares Breakneck “I Lose, You Lose”

Rising Bristol-based indie outfit Make Friends — Tom Andrew (vocals, bass), David Thomas (guitar), Connor Crabb (guitar) and Max Lewin (drums) — have toed the line between buoyant indie pop and left-of-center indie rock since their formation. Their previous releases have received airplay from BBC Radio 1 and BBC Music Introducing, as well as coverage from Clash Magazine, Under The Radar, Dork Magazine, Wonderland Magazine, The Independent, The Rodeo and more.

The band has been very busy this summer: July saw the band bring their live show to an adoring, capacity London crowd, following sets at Dot To Dot Festival and The Great Escape Festival. They also played some dates opening for Sundara Karma and PYNCH.

Building upon a growing profile, the Bristol-based outfit will be releasing their Ed Nash-produced EP Loaded Fun through Ignition Records. Slated for a September 13, 2024 release, Loaded Fun reportedly sees the band drawing from Bombay Bicycle Club, Phoenix, MGMT and Everything Everything while simultaneously pushing their sound into a new territory.

“These past two years have really been about exploring and experimenting with our writing and production,” the rising Bristol outfit explains. “We’ve been writing a ton, and along the way, we’ve noticed our sound evolving into something we’re really excited about. We wanted the new material to feel fresh to us while still capturing the spirit and energy of our influences. Having the chance to work with Ed has been a big part of that. From a writing and production point of view, it’s been really enjoyable and fruitful for how we’ve developed. Loaded Fun is a culmination of that time spent.”

Loaded Fun‘s latest single, EP closing track “I Lose, You Lose” is a buoyant and rousingly anthemic breakneck bop that sees the band juxtaposing bright, sunny pop with the churning despair and heartache of a relationship coming to a bitter, uneasy end. The song’s slow-burning, mellower coda is meant to evoke the peace in acknowledging that sometimes both sides will lose — bitterly. But somehow, you move forward.

“’I Lose, You Lose’ is a song about losing (shock)! The lyrics take you on a journey through anxiety and realisation that actually the person you’re with, wasn’t all you thought they were,” the band explains. “The songs upbeat verses and build sections, symbolises that feeling of losing control over your thoughts, running through every situation that may have lead you to this breakup conclusion. But alas, you found solace in this breakup. Knowing you did all you could. That constant fact in your mind … ‘If I lose you, you lose me.’ And somehow that made me feel better.”