Is Lisbon the coolest city on the planet? It certainly ranks among the top! Whether you're looking to enjoy some of the most delectable cuisine, relax in unique bars, or simply soak up the sun for most of the year, the Portuguese capital has it all. Not to mention the NOS Alive festival: a major event that features some of the biggest names in music—where else can you see Olivia Rodrigo, Nine Inch Nails, and Justice all within three days—while also getting your fill of vitamin D? As always, the 2025 edition of the festival promises an exciting lineup, including Amyl and the Sniffers, Barry Can’t Swim, and girl in red performing throughout the weekend. Additionally, the London-based dance duo Franc Moody will take the stage on Saturday night to provide the soundtrack for the festival's closing hours. Before their performance this weekend, we chatted with Jon Moody and Ned Franc from the band about their recently released album ‘Chewing The Fat’ and their thoughts on festival season.
It’s been a significant year for you with the release of ‘Chewing The Fat’ back in March. How did it feel to put the album out, and with some perspective, how do you think it has gone so far?
Ned: This year feels especially meaningful in the nearly ten years since we started this journey. We're both genuinely excited to share this album with the world, as we feel we've realized a lot of the sounds and songwriting we've aimed for. It may sound cliché, but we truly feel proud of this record overall and the recording process. The response has been fantastic so far. Longtime fans appreciate the more mature sound shift, and it has also attracted a lot of new listeners to our shows, which is fantastic to see.
Can you tell us more about the album? What headspace were you in while creating it? How did you want to evolve from ‘Into The Ether’? Did you have a specific plan for this album, or was it more exploratory?
Jon: It was a mix of both, but we knew we had to embrace change. We were feeling frustrated with old habits in the studio and on stage, partly due to sticking to what had "worked" for us in the past and partly because we wanted to move beyond the disco groove that had become somewhat rigid. We realized that to breathe new life into the project and our sound, we needed to dig deeper and refine it into something more direct, raw, and honest. The performances were also starting to feel stale, and we knew this album would help revitalize that. We aimed to strike a balance between not straying too far from what our fans enjoy. It was challenging, but once we began exploring, we discovered some exciting new ideas.
This album seems to have signified an essential evolution for you as a band. How difficult was it to navigate that process and re-energize yourselves after spending several years on your journey? What do you think supported you the most during this period of re-evaluation?
Ned: Getting to a mindset where we could confidently write the songs that became ‘Chewing The Fat’ was a lengthy journey. It felt like an exorcism in a way; we had to persevere and trust that we'd eventually reach the creative place we needed to be. It took a lot of hard work and determination; I think we must have written enough disappointing songs for 20 albums along the way. Keeping that inner fire alive was crucial, finding a shared vision that would refresh the entire project.
How do you think this experience affected the sound and attitude of ‘Chewing The Fat’?
Jon: Taking the time to reassess our situation was the spark that ignited our desire to create this record. Tracks that exemplify this transition for me include: ‘Going Through The Motions,’ ‘Waiting For The Punchline,’ ‘The Light You Bring,’ ‘Square Pegs in Round Holes,’ and the title track. We focused more on deeper, bolder elements and soundscapes instead of the layered disco grooves (though we still love a solid disco groove!). We also had the timely opportunity to see LCD Soundsystem for the first time, and their presentation style to such a diverse audience was incredibly inspiring. We definitely channeled that experience into the writing of ‘Chewing The Fat’! Plus, using Damon Albarn’s synthesizer collection set us up nicely.
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