SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FRIKO – SOMETHING WORTH WAITING FOR

FRIKO
SOMETHING WORTH WAITING FOR
ATO RECORDS

Friko is back with Something Worth Waiting For, the group’s highly anticipated sophomore record—this time with the help of indie-legend producer John Congleton, a couple of new bandmates, and a newfound pressure to build on their momentum as one of indie rock’s brightest up-and-comers.

Something Worth Waiting For opens with an anthemic plea for happiness, driven by frontman Niko Kapetan and a crunchy guitar alone—a bold choice for an opener that pays off. Track two, “Still Around,” introduces listeners to new members David Fuller on bass and Korgan Robb on guitar. Fuller shines here, laying down a bass line that sets a playful tone and keeps you on your toes.

“Choo Choo” kicks off a four-track run of bliss, offering a playfully masked take on a deep longing for something more. Normally, a line like “Chili dog Philly steak, feelin’ it in my gut / ’Cause Pepto, it don’t do it strong enough” might not cut it, but here it serves as a temporary respite from an otherwise emotionally dense record.

“Certainty” is truly something worth waiting for. The track takes you on a mesmerizing journey that feels like a Salvador Dalí painting. Beginning with a simple piano progression, Friko and producer John Congleton gradually build an enchanting chamber of strings to support Niko Kapetan’s dynamic and stirring performance. In the age of modern indie rock, there’s a growing tendency for artists and producers to shy away from intense dynamics in favor of something more streamable and marketable, making songs like “Certainty” feel truly special. If you’re like me, you may not have the emotional capacity to stream this track three times a day—but that’s okay. Maybe a song like this exists in a world bigger than the almighty stream (woah, existential).

“Something Worth Waiting For,” the album’s title track, lives up to its name. Kapetan and Korgan Robb shine on the guitars here but be careful with the volume knob—it gets really, really loud. We’ve traveled by train with “Choo Choo” and by hot air balloon in “Hot Air Balloon,” and it’s only fitting that the record closes with a piano-driven ode to the ol’ bicycle—a magnificently simple closer.

Something Worth Waiting For makes an early spring entrance as one of the best indie rock records of 2026. This album is a thrilling glimpse into what we can expect from Friko for years to come, and it’s so far from a sophomore slump that it feels more like a confident leap. You could even call it a sophomore slam. Hats off, Friko.

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