FYI Chris
DJs | Producers
FYI Chris consists of two Chris' based in London who collectively DJ, produce and run their label West Friends along with Tom Unlikely. Individually known as Coupe and Watson, they have been making music and DJing for years now. Coupe opened the much-loved record shop Rye Wax with Tom Unlikely back in 2014 and hired Watson shortly after so it was only a matter of time before the Chris’ built a hefty record collection between them.
Coupe has since moved to working in distribution while Watson remained in the store up until lockdown. If you ever intend to go for a browse at Rye Wax and Watson happens to be working, be warned. It’s likely you’ll leave with a bunch of records from the most obscure artists and genres you’ve never heard of - the man can sell anything from field recordings to ear-bleeding gabber.
Having made a name for themselves back in 2015 with a release on Rhythm Section, FYI Chris have gone on to release on Ears Have Eyes, Ninja Tune and West Friends, as well as a consecutive EP, ‘Elephant Road’, on Rhythm Section last year. Their sound can go from sunny house to wonky techno and the same goes for their DJ sets. Gigs in Budapest, Sydney, Melbourne, Brooklyn and Dublin made up their pre-pandemic diary, with the likes of Chaos in the CBD, Omar S, Pariah, Bradley Zero and more, not forgetting regular sets at Rye Wax's bi-monthly Pingers event.
The pair have a dynamic approach to playing together, flying through records and playing a multitude of sounds to keep their audience on its heads, knees and toes no matter where they're booked to play. The below was taken on a particularly loose night in London which they explain in more detail, along with some solid advice about how to not put too much pressure on yourself during this time…
Photo: Chris Watson
Where was this photo taken and why did you choose it?
Watson: This one was taken at a Rye Wax New Years Eve party we did at The Flying Dutchman a few years back. We've played that place a bunch of times and it has to be one of the best sweat holes in the land. If you haven't been, it's an unassuming pub on the corner of a Camberwell street which happens to put on queer and fetish parties. It used to be home to World Unknown, and we DJ’d for Andy and Amy here on a couple of times - DJing facing a wall in the room next to the dancefloor, using a human-size cage as a table and a circular bed with hentai mural behind us...really how all parties should be TBH. On this night, our mate Bosco got the rig in and put this LED strip light in that shot around like the lazer beams from the Rubber Jonny video. Tunes from Natalie, Jay & Sybil, Living, Unlikely and Cabasa (iirc?) made it really special.
What are you listening to at the moment if you’re working from home or if you’re still working out in the world, do you have a soundtrack to accompany your journey?
Watson: I've been at home since the start of May. Clubs were NOT the best place to be and even when we were legally open, it felt a bit weird, like we were all sleepwalking into a national emergency. I'm quite good at being at home and not going mental so I've been doing okay (touch wood). Aimlessly playing on Ableton, lots of Gran Turismo and cooking up with the lids. One of my housemates is obsessed with the new Thundercat record, he cannot stop playing/singing/harmonising it - so it's a relief that it's really fucking good! Also been rinsing all the Acemo / Momaready Momomomo shit. SO GOOD! When I need to get my fill of staring out of the window and thinking about doing anything outside, the new Mike Slott has been doing bits. 😊
Coupe: My job involves posting records for various records labels Bandcamp and online shops. I work with a good pal Anu (who has a great radio show on NTS/BBC Asian Network) and we have had to cut down the days we go in to work and are working separate days from each other in an attempt to keep things safe and moving. The orders have kept coming so I guess it has been nice to see a lot of people still supporting artists through buying their music. I recently tend to lean towards either Charlie Bones Breakfast show or an album. Recent favourites to work to depending on mood are:
Matt Karmil - STS371 - Great to listen to while packing records
Les Mcann - Layers - V Chill
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious, do you have a go-to track or style of music that significantly lifts your spirits?
W: It depends, if I want to wallow in the feeling for a bit I'll stick on some Leonard Cohen or Post-Punky. If I want to get out of an existential funk, I'll try putting on some Dub, always good for casting devils out.
C: I tried to think of a specific song or artist but I think I just go to music in general. I like listening to stuff I know quite well already when I may be low. Music is usually linked to good times for me and even when times are bad, music has a great way of turning that moment around into something you can grasp and come to terms with a little better.
How do you intend on celebrating once we’re out the other side?
W: Sometimes it takes a global catastrophe to show you what you've got but I can't fucking wait to get back to selling records and helping with nights in the lovely, damp, stinkin’, slammin’, wonderful Rye Wax - big love to all the crew, it's gonna be a good post-lockdown lock-in!!
Really though, I'll be so buzzin’ to go up north and visit family. I'm lucky to be in a nice house with mates I've know from high school (and Tom Blip haha) in London, I know that a lot of people don't have such a nice situation to be locked down in, so that's keeping me positive, but I can't wait to go get drunk and chat shit with my mum!
C: I am really looking forward to seeing mates and family and everyone. Be great to just give people a big hug as we gradually get out of this. Something that could have seemed a bit trivial at the start of the year is going to feel much more important (unless you’re not a hugger ofc). Everything really. Looking forward to making music with people again/parties/parks/having friends over. When they all eventually return, I look forward to enjoying them. Who knows maybe I will enjoy them more than I did before.
Any tips on how to look after your mind and body during this slightly stressful time?
W: I'd say to not get stressed about your productivity and start feeling like you gotta be doing all this shit you weren't before. Sure make 3 EPs but there ain’t no gigs to play them at...okay learn a bit of Japanese but not like you're going there anytime soon so chill...it's a fucking pandemic, chill! No one's asking anyone to write a fuckin’ opus while they're on hold to Universal Credit for 2 hours. A bit of advice I got from the Earthbound on the SNES: ‘All good days will end. All bad days will end. Remember this.’
C: Yea, agree with Watson. Now is not the time to beat yourself up about anything trivial. It’s a strange change for everyone and I think we are all going to deal with it differently. I find calling someone I love usually helps. Tell them you love them. Ask them how they are.
Listen to FYI Chris’ latest West Friends show on Balamii here and follow them below: