5 Songs I Love w/ fleabustiers

Following the release of their new single 'tragic carpet', Flex caught up with the rising band fleabustiers. We found out which artists influence them the most so if you enjoy fleabustiers picks, be sure to check out 'tragic carpet' at the end of the article.

Tubeway Army: Are "Friends" Electric?

What is there not to like about this song? The droning bass line of the intro rocks you, and as soon as you hear Gary Numan's voice, you have this feeling of discomfort, only to finally get the pulsating electroshocks of the transition to the chorus.

We were introduced to this song by Groove Armada, then we realised it was a cover, and we must say that this is one of the cases where no cover has ever been able to top the original. The atmosphere, the relentless heaviness, and the dynamic range have never been equaled. A truly foundational song.

Led Zeppelin: Kashmir

Never been a great fan of Led Zeppelin. For sure, they are part of the classics, but Kashmir is really special. There again, the heaviness, the oppressing progression, and the reference to Middle Eastern culture were strong references for this song. 

It is also universal, as it was sampled in the Godzilla OST.

Radiohead: No Surprises

Some members of fleabustiers absolutely adore Radiohead, but strangely enough, the idea of the intro came from another member who is not such an ardent follower of the Oxford band. 

But it is undeniable there is some vague resemblance. However, this song is a masterclass in terms of composition and production.

Foals: What Went Down

Who doesn't love Foals? They have it all. 

What really caught our attention is the intensity and the darkness, and it was an inspiration for the outro to characterise the rage and despair that we wanted to convey.

Shai no Shai: Caravan

This one is a bit of a hidden gem from an Anglo-French band from the 90s. You just have to listen to the first bars and the weightless harmonies to be transported to the Arabian Nights. This song is bewitching; the instrumentation is not over the top, which makes it sound genuine as opposed to masquerading North African/Middle Eastern music. 

This song and the approach used for it were definitely at the back of our mind when we recorded "tragic carpet".

Worth mentioning: another little reference—a quirky track by Devendra Banhart called Carmensita, with a video that clearly inspired "tragic carpet"… and yes, it even stars Natalie Portman!

Listen to 'tragic carpet':