Aussie-bred Flight Facilities have been knocking about on an underground/commercial cusp since their debut in 2009. As a way of celebrating the past five years of exceptional releases, here is the Splinters Beginner’s Guide to the phenomenal Flight Facilities.
CRAVE YOU (Version 2)
The first single from the already iconic Aussie duo was the truly beautiful ‘Crave You’, whose ‘second version’ tees up as the definitive mix. A thumping bassline matched with an undeniably gorgeous melody (those piano riffs are some of the most heart-wrenching yet amazing moments in music) all swirl together with simple, relatable ‘heartbreak on the dance floor’-style lyrics. And that sax finale? Goddammit, nobody does a sax finale quite like the Aussies do.
Best Block of Lyrics: “Let’s just stop and think before I lose face. Surely I can’t fall into a game of chase. Around his little finger that boy has got me curled. I try to reach out but he’s in his own world. This boy’s got my head tied in knots with all his games; I simply want him more because he looks the other way.”
FOREIGN LANGUAGE (Flight Facilities Extended Mix)
Disco-ripped right out of the Chic playbook, this is yet another tear-jerking dance floor monster with a chorus bigger than Ben Hur. The lyrics are perfect too, detailing the story of a lady after a man who seems to be – for lack of a better term – fucking her around on a royally-sized scale. Take those tears to the dance floor gurl and let it all out. And yes, that sounds like a cowbell to us, too.
Best Block of Lyrics: “So I can’t let you go, and you won’t let me know. I can’t let you go, when you won’t say.”
WITH YOU (Flight Facilities Extended Mix)
God almighty! The more recent the release, the more powerful they become. This deep house cut sets the scene as two potential lovers (with lovers of their own) can’t seem to pull themselves apart from each other. The bass comes right out of 1997 and is all the more powerful for it, whereas the heartbreaking lyrics further cements the idea that Flight Facilities are two of Australia’s most deep and exceptional songwriters.
Best Block of Lyrics: “Take a risk, well that’s all you keep on saying. And the point that I’m relaying is it shouldn’t be like this. And you know, while I’m sitting here this evening, I just know I should be leaving but it’s too late for me to go. And now a kiss. Well you planted that one on me, and granted it has thrown me and it’s futile to resist. But don’t you see. If people see us here together we’ve thrown it all away.”
CLAIR DE LUNE
This is where things get really heavy. Never has there been a sadder, dance floor-ready jam like the delicate ‘Clair De Lune’. Featuring the vocal prowess of Christine Hoberg, this epic, near-eight-minute monster takes all of your emotions, rips them to shreds, and makes you deal with the shreds, all whilst the single’s most beautiful melody harps into your ears. One of the most magical and poignant Australian releases since Sneaky Sound System’s ‘Big’. The most bionic and ethereal production from the duo we’ve heard, this is the Splinters pick as their most inspired moment.
Best Block of Lyrics: “If I would know you, would you know me? Don’t go. Tell me that the lights won’t change. Tell me that you’ll feel the same. And we’ll stay here – forever. Don’t go, tell me that the lights won’t change. Tell me that it’ll stay the same. Where we go, Where we, Where we go.”
I DIDN’T BELIEVE (Extended Version)
Back to the disco we go! Featuring Elizabeth Rose on vocals, this club pearler clocks in at five minutes and takes you on a hedonistic journey straight to the dance floor. The song sets the story for a woman who cannot quite believe something is happening between her and her future bae, whilst the track itself slips things back into Chic territory with some of the funkiest of funky-funk you will hear this side of Studio 54. Heavenly.
Best Block of Lyrics: “You’re the ghost in my arms. That never troubled me – until now. All the forces are at work now, as the town begins to sleep. I could cast my doubt and live on without – you never asked me why. I didn’t believe that something could really happen between us.”
STAND STILL
The most recent single from our boys was one of Splinters’ favourite tracks of 2013. Taking a different road musically, it’s the lyrics in this absolute treasure which elevate it to the status of being a totally next level pop song.
Best Block of Lyrics: “Don’t be a fool, and play it too cool. So cool that you can’t see how much you mean to me.”
Creating some of the most incredibly formulated melodies, beats and lyrics, Flight Facilities are fast shaping up to become one of our most treasured exports – exports who in a matter of five years have begun to cement themselves as a serious musical force to be reckoned with. It’s quite the impressive feat to have your first six major single releases all be 10/10 kinda songs. Magic.
If you haven’t gotten into these wizards of sound then we urge you to do so immediately. There’s five years of sounds to catch up on and you won’t be left disappointed. Five years of quality jams; here’s to the next five years of tears and boogie nights on the dance floor with these two masters of sound.
Written by Adem Ali
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