In the Randomised Record series, I take us both on an adventure to (re)discover my record collection. Fate decides: whether it be that obscure grunge album I bought recently or that emo rap record from 2017. Nothing is safe from the hands of the randomiser! I will listen to the entire album and highlight my favourite song off of it here on the blog. Do I still enjoy my records as much as when I bought ‘em? Let’s find out. Today, episode 22: ‘Phantastic Ferniture’ (2018) by Phantastic Ferniture.

It feels like a lifetime ago since I last heard of Phantastic Ferniture. The Julia Jacklin-fronted group rose to fame back in 2018 with the release of ‘Fuckin ’n’ Rollin’, a catchy and straightforward indie track drenched in that Australian twang. With bands like Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever and DMA’s doing well, Phantastic Ferniture came at exactly the right time. However, ever since the release of their self-titled debut album, it’s been awfully quiet around this group. A bit of research tells me they are apparently in the midst of a ‘reunion tour’, which seems a bit much given this band only ever released 1 album.

Since ‘Fuckin ’n’ Rollin’ and ‘Dark Corner Dance Floor’ have been present in the Jam of Today playlist pretty much since the beginning, I’ve heard those two specific songs quite a lot on shuffle over the last couple of years. However, I would be lying if I say I’m still crazy about those songs. If anything, they get skipped quite frequently whenever they come on. It strongly reminds me of my life in my early twenties and even though that was a fine time to be alive, I’m not really interested in reliving it through (this) music. Especially not when the music in question is kind of uninteresting, too.

Listening to this album just kind of makes me shrug. I don’t have a strong hatred towards it, nor do I like it. I also don’t have any specific memories linked to it other than younger me listening to it and liking it a lot more than I do now. Phantastic Ferniture kind of sounds like that band you go see at 2pm on the 2nd day of a music festival in a blazing 35 degrees celsius sunshine while still being hungover from a few days drinking at camp. It’s fine, but gosh will you have forgotten about it once The Prodigy kicks off at 10pm tonight and you’ve gotten yourself another few pints with the lads. Days later back home you’ll think “Oh, yeah, I believe I’ve seen this band”. Perhaps I could write this album off as one of the more insignificant ones in my collection. Jokes on me, ‘cos I will be adding another song by this group to the playlist today.