First Transmission: Francis and the Lights, Friends (feat. Bon Iver & Kanye West).

Until late on last night, Francis and the Lights were (or, rather, was) something of an unknown; to me, at least. Nonetheless, there can be few better ways to announce your arrival than with a track entitled ‘Friends’, featuring heavyweight mates such as Justin Vernon (of Bon Iver) and lead vocalist Francis Farewell Starlite’s fellow Chicagoan, Kanye West. Of course, it helps your cause immensely when the song itself is a slow-burn, but ultimately positive break-up reminiscence; likewise, making Friends sound eminently reminiscent of West’s masterpiece, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, is an absolute masterstroke. So, although discerning Starlite’s vocal from that of Vernon (and, to a lesser extent, West, who contributes one line, and one line only) amid homogenised, heavily vocoded strains is nigh on impossible, all of the lights may yet converge on Francis et al.

Francis and the Lights.