Like so many before them, Paris-based collective FI/SHE/S use music as a form of escapism, something to enliven and enrich their otherwise reasonably routine urban lives. Although based around the French capital, this group is a truly global coming merging of musical minds and backgrounds, boasting members from China, France, Cameroon and Belgium who were brought together by nothing more than chance. With half the world covered in terms of heritage you'd expect them to be doing something incredibly wrong if their songs were routine and formulaic. It's not just their varying backgrounds that give them an eclectic and genre-unifying alternative and experimental pop sound, their very name seems to be taken from their creative approach, fishing their favourite elements from their favourite bands and stitching these pieces together.
In their own words they fished out Grizzly Bear's choruses, Apparat's electronic waves, El Guincho's exoticism, Hot Chip's sexiness, Animal Collective's psychedelia and Sufjan Stevens' complex arrangements, topping things off with some Spectorish harmonies. And true enough you can hear each of those acts' influence in FI/SHE/S music which shares much in common with the alternative scenes of Portland, New York, London, L.A, Berlin and Barcelona, cities they also cite as an important influence. The mix-match approach has served them well with their tunes being playful, inventive, accessible and modern, and while the technique of borrowing ideas is clear to see, they never imitate their idols, they simply share some of their ideals. Cast your ears over a couple of songs and see if they can get you hooked too.
FI/SHE/S' website
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