Friendly Fires

Hailing from St. Albans, a town on the outskirts of London, Friendly Fires present a poppier take on the shoegaze-dance rock (aka nu rave) revival arising in the late '00s U.K. While the band dallies with immersive ear candy sonics (like scene contemporaries Klaxons), hipshaking beats and indelible hooks hold sway. Consisting of Ed Macfarlane (vocals, bass, keyboards), Edd Gibson (guitar), and Jack Savidge (drums), the trio shot to prominence on the strength of early house-inspired singles like "Paris" and soon saw themselves signed to XL and playing some of the world's biggest festivals.