7/10

Throughout the last few years, Bristol-based outfit Make Friends have been one of the more exciting new names to emerge on the indie-rock scene. With a sound that brings back memories of heyday Bombay Bicycle Club and Foals, they are one of the few acts doing the rounds that look to revive the much-loved genre and deliver something fresh and enticing with it. So after a year of dropping bright and uplifting offerings, the band now cap off their 2021 with their new EP 'Is This Real', a collection that cements their glittering direction over the last few months.

While much of this new EP won't be anything new to their fans as much of it has been released as singles in recent months, when all heard together, 'Is This Real' makes for a wonderfully bold and textured listen. Their crisp and inventive aesthetic remains the heart of this release, and sees them push the boundaries of it as far as it will go. Mixing a warming atmosphere with broad and driven hooks creates this vivid approach to their regularly distinctive sound, and allows us to get truly swept away in its soaring momentum.

Make Friends have been on the cusp of breaking through to the mainstream for sometime now, and it feels like 'Is This Real' could quickly become their ticket to get there. There is an undeniable drive within their style to deliver unmistakable anthems at every turn, something we rarely hear and is quickly becoming their hallmark as well.