Fräulein: "In the music industry, being new is really fetishised"

Irish-Dutch outfit Fräulein are proof that good things really do come in pairs. Fronted by Antrim-native Joni Samuels on guitar/vocals and London-based Dutchman Karsten van der Tol on drums, this indie-grunge two-piece is the definition of a dynamic duo.

“There’s nowhere to hide when we play because it’s just the two of us, that’s what makes us powerful,” Joni says while basking in the sun outside the band’s temporary French abode. “We’re able to highlight the guitar, highlight the vocals, highlight the drums… It’s almost like our instruments are having a conversation.”

“I’ve said this frequently to others, but I think if I was in a four or five piece band, I’d very much be overplaying my voice,” Karsten notes. “I’d be way too loud in my presence. It’s because there’s so much space for me to play with that I can throw off the listener a bit more rhythmically. And so can Joni. We can play around each other. It’s all about the push and pull.”

Formed fresh out of university, the band’s primary goal has always been to grow into their sound rather than arrive on the scene fully formed. So, when they gained a foothold in the public eye after the release of their 2023 EP Pedestal, it almost seemed like a happy accident.

“I think in the music industry, being new is really fetishised,” says Joni. “It’s always ‘the next best thing’ or ‘your new favourite band’. Obviously, there are some amazing artists that come out fully formed and they have a really strong vision and stuff. But we have just been figuring out what we want to sound like.”

After a spectacular run on the live circuit earlier this year, which included a thrilling headliner Upstairs at Whelan’s, it’s safe to say Joni and Karsten have found their home on the stage. A live band before all else, the duo’s relentless riffage and thunderous rhythms leave audiences sweat-drenched and begging for more.

In an era of digital streaming, virtual concerts and AI-generated music, Fräulein are somewhat of an anomaly, devoting a majority of their energy to the art of on-stage performance, rather than modern recording techniques.

“We’ve always been a very live-focussed band,” explains Joni. “We tried to maintain that primal rawness in the mini-LP [the newly released Sink or Swim], but this time fleshed out a bit more.”

“The record really speaks to the collaboration that we had with Cosmorat, our producers,” Karsten adds. “It all bloomed really naturally. They had so many ideas that we wouldn’t have thought of and vice versa. I think that symbiotic relationship in the studio really helped everything come together.”

An album about the story that follows “happily ever after”, Sink Or Swim dives into the anxieties of love and the insecurity that can come with a happy ending. Bookended by the tracks ‘Feels Like Flying (Night)’ and ‘Feels Like Flying (Day)’, Sink Or Swim is the untold story of what comes next.

“All I’ve really wanted to do is write an amazing album,” says Joni. “I want to write something that I’m super proud of. I think this mini-LP has been a step towards that, and now I realise I can be happy with the things I’m putting out. I used to have this regret of, ‘Oh, I should’ve changed this’ and ‘I wish I could go back’, but now I’m really content with everything we’re releasing.”

After the stellar reception for ‘Pruning’, ‘Feels Like Flying (Night)’ and ‘Feels Like Flying (Day)’, Sink Or Swim marks Fräulein’s longest release to date.

“We started this band because it feels like we’re able to be authentically ourselves,” Karsten says. “Being able to pursue your passion is such a privilege, and I’m really looking forward to seeing what Joni writes and where things go.”

• Sink Or Swim is out now via Submarine Cat Records.