Friends

Helmed by singer/songwriter Samantha Urbani, the New York band Friends makes music that nods to rhythmic-minded groups of yesteryear like ESG and Liquid Liquid. Initially started as a solo project of Urbani's in 2010, the group has grown to include multiple members, many of whom live in the Brushwick neighborhood of New York. After recording a number of extremely listenable songs with blatant pop and indie rock leanings, Friends managed to catch some buzz in 2011, with many dubbing the band one of the preeminent bands of its generation.