While The F16s haven’t graced us with new music since 2019’s WKND FRNDS EP, the Chennai-based rockers have been teasing new sounds for a little while now. Along with the reveal of their forthcoming EP Is It Time to Eat the Rich Yet?—which drops October 22 via House Arrest, and to which the answer is “yes”—today we’re getting a new song called “I’m on Holiday,” which is the exact type of upbeat, smooth-vocaled rock tune to soundtrack your picnic. Well, as long as you don’t think too hard about the lyrics, which the band themselves describe as “a classic case of denial and delusion behind familiar themes of love and tenderness.” Also, if it’s been 16 months or so since your last picnic, you probably shouldn’t take any social cues from the visual that arrives with the track. Let’s just say it gets violent.
“[The video] began as a minimalist idea that gathered steam within minutes, snowballing into something executable overnight,” the band shares. “Sashank sat in the director’s chair as we sourced our own props and items of importance, while our friend Shantanu Krishnan took the plunge with us as cinematographer. Mitra, the star of the video, joined us with zero hesitation, providing the audience with the much-needed distraction from our unsightly mugs. The band made up the background, convening for a picnic that goes comically awry, an accurate yet exaggerated reflection of their dynamic. As one (Harshan) proceeds to make mincemeat out of another (Abhinav), a third (Sashank) breaks away from this cycle of antagonism, joining Mitra in the waters to sit serenely, unbothered by the melee.”
Watch the video below, and stream the track here.
