London “strop-pop” quartet, Fightmilk, have returned to action with their new single “Summer Bodies.” The first taste of their upcoming third album, it is out now via Fika Recordings (Mammoth Penguins, Fortitude Valley) and INH Records. Further details and news are to be revealed over the coming months. Catch the new track and more below.
Stream “Summer Bodies” here: https://li.sten.to/fightmilk-summer-bodies
Commenting on the track, vocalist Lily says: “It’s about how women and femmes are constantly bombarded with media telling us how to be our best and most beautiful selves, or, bluntly, how to bully your mind and body into an image set by constantly moving goalposts—straight teeth, white skin, feminine but not girly, cool but not threatening, skinny waist, snatched jawline. Products that promise to shrink you in the guise of ‘wellness’. And if you don’t look like that, you’re supposed to hate yourself until you do. No thanks. Our favourite bit in this song is where we all take turns unleashing a big scream.”
“Summer Bodies” questions patriarchal society’s ridiculous and ever-changing expectations of women’s bodies and the futile quest to ‘be sexy’, with Lily’s dead-pan commentary weaving between buoyant harmonies and gloriously scuzzy hooks. Angsty and uplifting in equal measure, it’s an instantly catchy singalong anthem, combining the band’s trademark tongue-in-cheek wit with a swirling energy and gritty raw emotion. A fierce ode to self-love in the face of the onslaught of damaging beauty standards that we are constantly bombarded with, it also sees Fightmilk flirt with a heavier side to their sound than fans may be used to.
So, as the warmer weather approaches, wear whatever makes you feel comfortable, pay no mind to the incessant Instagram ads about fad diets or corrective procedures, and know that you look great – whatever size, age or gender you may be. As bassist Healey summarises: “life’s too short, do whatever the f*ck you want, do no harm and take no sh*t.”
Having sold out headline gigs across the UK, in addition to sharing stages with bands such as Art Brut, Yawners and Problem Patterns, Fightmilk look set to build on their reputation as one of the DIY scene’s best loved bands in the run-up to their much-anticipated third album.
More from Fightmilk:
Taking influence from a broad spread of artists including Sharon van Etten, The Beths, Charly Bliss, Bully, Speedy Ortiz, Liz Phair, The Lemonheads, Japanese Breakfast, and that dog., Fightmilk are the perfect soundtrack to your “why can’t I adult like everyone else my age?” life.
The band formed in the beer gardens of London in 2015 when Lily and Alex decided to turn their then-recent respective breakups into Fightmilk, creating an indiepop soundtrack by which to navigate millennial life. Their first two EPs – one self-released in 2016 (The Curse of Fightmilk), and the next (Pity Party) put out through uber-indie label Fierce Panda – strode ahead of signing to Reckless Yes for the release of their first album. Their 2018 debut LP Not With That Attitude was released on limited edition pink vinyl, CD and digital, gaining a fan in Steve Lamacq (BBC 6Music), and appearing in many end of year picks.
Now sold out (but still available digitally of course), their debut is well loved by listeners and critics alike who recognised a perfectly written set of alt-rock tunes capturing the chaos and shambles of relationships wrapped in anthemic power-pop riffs. While the band planned to take their time crafting their second album Contender, they hadn’t factored in a global pandemic and the delays it would cause. Marking a maturing of their sound the record also sees a step-change in their writing and recording, as they welcomed new member Healey (formerly of Wolf Girl) on bass, and took a more collaborative approach than past efforts.
Like the writing process, recording also took more time, again thanks to Covid-19. Recorded in two sessions a year apart at Dean Street Studios in London, the band saw plans for a UK tour suddenly pulled as the release of the first single from the record, “I’m Starting To Think You Don’t Even Want To Go To Space,” coincided with the first lockdown in March 2020. While waiting to be able to return to the studio and complete work on the project, the band took creative detours throughout 2020 with home-recorded Christmas (Fightmilk and Cookies) and cover (The FME EP) EPs raising money for Girls Rock London and The Trussell Trust.
Fightmilk released their second album Contender in May 2021 to a surge of international press support and enthusiastic coverage, with radio spins from Tom Robinson and Steve Lamacq at BBC 6Music, John Kennedy at Radio X, and a host of specialist and regional support.
Fightmilk are:
Lily (she/her) – Vocals, guitar
Alex (he/him) – Guitar, vocals
Healey (they/them) – Bass, vocals
Nick (he/him) – Drums, vocals
Follow Fightmilk:
https://fightmilkisaband.bandcamp.com/track/summer-bodies
https://www.instagram.com/fightmilkisaband
https://youtube.com/@fightmilk
https://x.com/fightmilkband