The F16s embrace sonic evolution with 'All Dogs Go To Heaven', a decade defining album
Turns out, sometimes all a band needs is a change of scenery, a pile of instruments and a month spent together. For The F16s, a writing retreat in Ooty became the starting point for All Dogs Go To Heaven, their latest album. A decade after Triggerpunkte, the Chennai-based alternative rock four-piece, comprising vocalist Joshua Fernandez, keyboardist Harshan Radhakrishnan, guitarist Abhinav Krishnaswamy and bassist Sashank Manohar, returned to making music together, with a little friendly friction, unexpected sonic detours and, naturally, plenty of dog love.
We speak to the band about the making of the record
A decade separates Triggerpunkte and All Dogs Go To Heaven. How has the band’s relationship with making music evolved over the years, and how did this album find you now?
With Wknd Frnds and Is It Time…?, the band’s writing became a little disjointed. We were constantly searching for time and space to keep recording. Is It Time came about during the pandemic which forced us into isolation — and there were certain aspects that appealed to us. With All Dogs Go To Heaven, we went in with this idea of going further into how we used to write songs: on terraces on beaten up and borrowed acoustic guitars, but mainly together.
Initially there was no agenda, we just wanted to spend time writing, so we put all the gear we’d amassed over the years into a lorry and sent it along with ourselves to a cottage in Ooty. To make as much music but to also see for ourselves if we still could.
How did the experience in Ooty shape the writing and recording process, if at all?
Bands do this all the time. You hear about the making of a record, and it usually involves two or three weeks of recording somewhere else.
More than anything, the routine of waking up, making breakfast, being surrounded by nature and settling into a recording setup together made it very easy for ideas to pour in. We were in very ideal conditions, let’s put it that way.
Dogs appear as a recurring motif across Triggerpunkte, through its album cover, and All Dogs Go To Heaven, through its title. How did this imagery come into the picture, and do you see a connection between the two?
That might just be something subliminal. All of us love dogs, and all of us have dogs as companions. They are incredibly loyal, territorial, and love unconditionally. They see you more than you see yourself. The album title was decided before we wrote anything. Joshua just put the phrase out there, and it sat incredibly well with everyone in the room.
You recorded the four of you playing together in a room. What did this approach bring to the album, and were there any unexpected outcomes?
Once you get into the rhythm of doing it every day, it becomes a whole lot easier. There was still some friction. We operate on the principle that everyone serves the song. That includes fighting for something to either remain or be removed. Our single Mt. Whateverest came together after a scuffle and an eventual reconciliation.
After years of making music together, how has collaboration within the band changed? Did working on this record bring any new perspectives or challenges to the surface?
It wasn’t really a challenge, but there is definitely something to be said for arguing about ideas during the day and not being able to retreat to our individual homes afterwards. We reached common ground quickly. The process brought us closer as collaborators, but also as friends. There’s very little left to be said when you spend a month in close quarters.
Your sound has continued to evolve across releases. How did you approach sonic experimentation on this album, and were there any influences or directions you found yourselves drawn to?
We trusted each other to take big swings when necessary. We weren’t at the mercy of rigid studio schedules, so it became like being kids in a candy store. We’re generally forthcoming about sharing our playlists with each other, and found ourselves listening to everything from baroque music and solo piano to krautrock. Some of that definitely found its way onto the new record.
How did the experiences and changes between Triggerpunkte and All Dogs Go To Heaven find their way into the new record?
The two records are 10 years apart. Apart from the natural destruction of aging, our lives have taken differing trajectories. Some of us have moved, some of us have gotten jobs, some of us have had children! There was even a pandemic in the middle! The songs do carry a reflection, more of the life we have ahead as opposed to the life we’ve lived before.
Having spent time making and living with this album, what does it represent for The F16s at this point in your journey, and where do you see it taking you next?
There’s a sense of contentment, for now at least. We’re immensely proud of this body of songs and hope everyone finds their favourite on the album. We intend to take it on the road for as long as we need to. There’s a live set in the works that may be life-changing, but you’ll have to turn up to the shows to find out. Oh, and the usual — Grammys and millions of dollars.
The album is streaming on major music platforms.
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