Phantastic Ferniture

Formed in Sydney, Australia during 2014, the indie pop trio Phantastic Ferniture arose when folk-rooted solo artist Julia Jacklin, handling vocals and guitar, joined forces with Elizabeth Hughes on guitar, Tom Stephens on bass, and Ryan K. Brennan on drums. Their original intent was to create upbeat, cheerful rock purely for fun at a single show they jokingly titled the "Christmas Extravaganza First and Final Gig." Booking the performance four months in advance was meant to spur songwriting, but the material only came together at the last moment, yielding a set of three tracks that included two Mariah Carey covers. Audience dancing and shared enjoyment convinced them to keep going after that night. With Brennan producing, their debut single "Fuckin' 'n' Rollin'" secured local radio play and was soon followed by "Gap Year," which sparked widespread attention on global music blogs, all while the band remained on Polyvinyl, Jacklin's own label. As the first album neared completion, Stephens withdrew to concentrate on his solo project Tesse. The self-titled debut LP surfaced in 2018 through Polyvinyl, Transgressive Records, and the group's own Make Out Records.