Introducing — SCHØØL, "N.S.M.L.Y.D"

The freshest new school frequencies from France — SCHØØL; video still courtesy of Francis Mallari and Ludovic Azemar.

There was something genuinely authentic about the movements of the 1990s. While it was a messy era of grunge-gazers (replete with flannel fits and PNW persuasions and affinities), heroin chic on the fashion runways, dubious Calvin Klein couture ad campaigns, and plenty of suspect sartorial choices galore — it was a decade where it felt as if the entire universe was living on the edge. The 80s arts of neon light polluted pomp and Reaganomics crashed into an era that reveled in being on the brink of global implosion and whatever weirdness the world had to offer. The disaffectedness felt real, the nowhere headed philosophies were the basis for loitering anywhere and everywhere (be it near, far, or in-between any extents of distances). Nobody needed anything but one another and themselves. The world could indeed run out of runway and we would all be fine.

And then the new millennium hit and the air was rife with excitement, anticipation for what a new era could be, and the fear of the unknown. And then things got serious. Those vague and veiled threats of the 90s manifested into real life dangers, energy crises, a futile war on terror and further steps towards imperialism and authoritarianism that rendered everything more and more lame with each beat and passing year. While the previous decade was far from perfect, the pangs of nostalgia for that time where it felt like everyone else was cooler than we could ever be has remained an indelible stain in our consciousness like the screen burn of an arcade machine CRT monitor that reads INSERT COIN in perpetuity. The faint treble timbre and thrash from a Drop Nineteens or Swirlies cassette tape that was played 100 times too many on a portable Walkman player that is low on AA batteries. The ripped and frayed denim that never saw a washing machine. The yellowing pages from old stacks of NMEs. The compact disc towers that you can’t seem to part ways with. The dreams about everything that could have been that never was.

Bringing these reminiscences into reality is SCHØØL who unveil their debut track "N.S.M.L.Y.D". The latest addition to the prestigious French imprint Géographie's repertoire, the Parisian group is the vision of Francis Mallari (Rendez-Vous) and friends Erica Ashleson (Special Friend, Dog Park), Jack Moase (Liquid Face) and Alex Battez (Marble Arch). Banded together in unison by the sounds, states of mind and styles of their youth; SCHØØL is the instructive institution for the pop world you always wanted but never before found. SCHØØL is the cool clique you always wanted to join but never knew you could. SCHØØL is a sonic place of learning that will never mark you absent, nor truant, but rather enables and encourages your indolent obsessions of idleness, and daydreams of unlimited carefree abandon.

SCHØØL turns the sound of skipping out on your educational institute of choice into a full on stylistic lifestyle, sentiment, brand, whatever you want to call the vibe. The quartet turns a relaxing day of playing hooky into a high art. Like the wavy levels of wonder from a beloved cult early 90s single that few to anyone but yourself understood come to life in a contemporary manifestation of latent lavish distortions that stayed stored away in the minds of dreamers. "N.S.M.L.Y.D" is an attitude of unbreakable love. A fraternal love for friends. The connection you might only share for one certain someone. The kind of love that turns an afternoon outing at a supermarket or shopping square into a holiday event that is not to be missed for the entire world. "N.S.M.L.Y.D" is the ultimate sound for the summer of 2024 delivered exclusively from SCHØØL as we hazily enter the sunny streaked days of June. SCHØØL makes the middle of 2024 feel like 1994 all over again (but even better).

The new Paris pop institute of SCHØØL; video still courtesy of Francis Mallari and Ludovic Azemar

Francis Mallari from SCHØØL shared some insightful thoughts about the raucous new track:

“N.S.M.L.Y.D” (Nothing Satisfies Me Like You Do) is a pop song about being a fan of an idol.

The idea behind the synth riff was to be as catchy as an old phone ringtone that gets stuck in your head.

I always was fascinated by Liquido’s track “Narcotic”, the synth riff is the kind of riff that sounds like an old phone ringtone and gets glued inside your head for days so naturally I wanted to make my own “Narcotic”.

"N.S.M.L.Y.D." from SCHØØL is available now everywhere courtesy of Géographie.