You Are Someone Else

After the band officially released their debut extended play, entitled Velvet in 2015, which was produced alongside Mike Crossey, they started recording new music with the intention of going in a different direction sonically, but not veering far off from their pop rock roots. In 2016, they released the single "Swim", which was released originally as their debut single back in 2014. The song originally produced solely by the band and was re-produced alongside rising producer and mixing engineer Charlie Hugall. The song was described as going towards an indie pop genre. This was claimed, at the time, to be the official lead single from their upcoming debut album. After, they released a second single, entitled "Crybaby", which re-united them with Mike Crossey. Together they were reported to have worked frequently in the studio working on new music.

Towards the later part of 2016, they released their single "Brooklyn", which became a breakthrough hit. The song classed as them as a whole new kind of indie pop band and critics have claimed the song to be "their compulsively danceable brand of indie-pop",[3] which defined them as a band. The song also achieved countless streams and was advertised and promoted on YouTube. Prior to the release of the song, they embarked on their 2016 headlining tour, which began on 18 November – 1 December 2016.

After the release of the single and into 2017, the band said that Mike Crossey would be the executive producer for their debut album, which was going to be released in 2017.[4][5]

During the recording of their debut album, the band announced their first single of 2017, entitled "Hello Hello", which was produced alongside Mike Crossey and additionally produced by Crossey's recording engineer Jonathan Gilmore. The song became their second breakthrough hit and was featured in many programme's, such as The Only Way Is Essex. The track was also one of their first singles to be remixed by big names, such as fellow Polydor signee Shura.

In late July 2017, they announced that their album was going to be delayed and revealed that they would like as early as a late 2017 released date. Prior to the announcement, they announced a new single "Glue", which was produced by renowned mixing engineer and house music producer Mark Ralph. The song was announced as the lead single of a three-track extended play also announced under the title Glue. It was released as their second EP in August 2017, to make up for the intended album date.[6] Critics described the EP as "Glue splits up the feel-good sound we’ve heard on previous releases (such as "Brooklyn" and "Hello Hello")" and a "new direction" in which the band now pursues.[7]

In November 2017, the band released a new single, entitled "Hard to Be Myself", which was produced alongside Mike Spencer and said to have worked with new producers on their album, apart from their affiliate Mike Crossey. After, almost a months later, the band announced their debut album, under the title You Are Someone Else and that it was scheduled to be released in March 2018. It was also revealed that their single "Crybaby" was originally going to make the cut on the intended release date, but, because of working with other people during the time, the other tracks made the album and that song did not.

Between the time of the announcement and the album's release, February saw the third re-release and album version of the album's lead single "Swim", which was released onto YouTube as a fan video, filled with fans lip syncing the song. In early March 2018, they released their promotional single "Wake Me Up", which was done so a week prior to the album's release.

When it comes to talking about the album, one source claimed that the band and the album come across as an alternative Paramore. It elaborates on the album as a whole, saying "Importantly for a debut act, every song feels like a Fickle Friends song, stamped with their identity and vibrancy. Of course, as with most debut albums on a major label, the desire to get material out there means there’s a slight issue with quality control; however, Fickle Friends hit so many marks so regularly that, really, it’s hard to do much other than celebrate them."[8] Another source described what the band's intention for the album was, saying "This album mostly talks about the feeling that you don’t fit in your own life, [of] forever craving something else. I felt like I was stuck in a perpetual nightmare of bad relationships and worry for so long and this collection of songs kinda pulled me out of that,” said Shiner in a recent press release. We always wanted to make a record that made people dance and think at the same time. If any of these songs help anyone feel cool, or strong or even just less alone then we’ll have achieved what we wanted." It judged the quote by saying that the band "achieved everything" that they set out to do.[9]

A third source stated that album brings back some of their hits throughout the years and also experiments on the sound that they have delivered, which has become the Fickle Friends that their fans know and love. It stated, "Fans will be familiar with classic Fickle Friends bangers like ‘Swim’, ‘Hello Hello’ and ‘Say No More’, which are a perfect combination for the warmer spring weather due to their feel-good, summery vibes. But I also anticipate that many will be happy with new hits like ‘Bite’ and ‘She’, which have high-energy electronica influences and highlight lead singer [Natassja]'s flawless, sweet and effortless vocals. Fickle Friends are known for their incredibly catchy and meaningful lyrics and they continue this trend through much of the album."[10]

Notes

• ^{^[b]} signifies an additional producer.