WITH ITS ROCK ‘n’ roll attitude and a decade-long career, indie act The F16s have garnered a loyal fan base. During the pandemic and lockdown, the Chennai-based outfit had a lot of time to introspect. And the concept of wealth disparity really struck a nerve with the band members. The quartet has based the title of its new project on this disparity — Is It Time to Eat the Rich Yet? — a five-track EP exploring the many moods that the lockdown inspired.
The band consists of Abhinav Krishnaswamy, Sashank Manohar, Joshua Fer nandez and Harshan Radhakrishnan. “As this EP was constructed during the peak of the pandemic, we were made starkly aware of structural inequalities. The rich got richer, the poor got poorer,” Abhinav tells us.
Although the name of the album suggests it is political, the songs have a lighter mood. The album is described as a joyful celebration of the human condition under duress. With songs I’m On Holiday, Easy Bake Easy Wake and Trouble in Paradise, the band takes a breezy approach to society, but with a satirical twist. The songs boast the band’s signature post-punk and synth-driven style. “The song Sucks To Be Human is the sound of being fed up with what this place has to offer, and looking towards outer space, and looking towards outer space,” he shares, adding, “People seem to have taken to it, to the point where our fan base in Japan has seen a small but significant uptick.”
The band has released some fun music videos for the songs in Is It Time to Eat the Rich Yet?, and fans are waiting for live gigs. “We are being cautiously hopeful that venues will open up and stay open,” Abhinav signs off.
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