Frankie and the Witch Fingers are back with new music following their raw release of “Bonehead.” The band has now shared their double AA-side single, “i-Candy,” which premiered on KEXP.
Building on the energy of their recent album Data Doom, this new track fuses a synth-heavy groove with relentless riffs, telling the story of a female sex robot seeking revenge. The band explains, “i-Candy isn’t programmed for any man’s needs; she’s out to clean up the streets and settle scores in blood.” It’s a dystopian punk anthem with tight, futuristic sounds that carry a fierce narrative.
“i-Candy” and “Bonehead” are just the beginning of their new musical offerings. Fans can expect more surprises as the band gears up for their headline tour and festival appearances this fall, including Dazed & Confused on October 12th, which replaces the canceled Desert Daze festival.
Over the past decade, Frankie and the Witch Fingers have become a force of nature in the psych-rock scene, merging primal energy with mind-bending complexity. Data Doom took this signature sound to new heights.
Informed by influences like Afrobeat and proto-punk, the album serves as a vessel for their intense meditations on technology, authoritarianism, and the dangers of unchecked power. The result is a frenetic and highly-charged body of work, showcasing the explosive energy the band has honed while sharing the stage with acts like Ty Segall and ZZ Top.
At the core of Data Doom are co-founders Dylan Sizemore (vocals, guitar) and Josh Menashe (lead guitar, synth), whose songwriting drives the album’s eclectic sound. The album also introduces bassist Nikki “Pickle” Smith (formerly of Death Valley Girls) and drummer Nick Aguilar (ex-Mike Watt).
Both bring fresh perspectives: Smith draws on her background in West African drumming, while Aguilar channels the influence of Tony Allen, the legendary drummer for Fela Kuti. This combination results in a rhythmically complex and adventurous album. Self-produced by the band and recorded directly to tape, Data Doom captures the spontaneous energy of countless sessions in their L.A. rehearsal space.
The album is packed with intricate, high-wattage tracks. “Mild Davis” pulls inspiration from Miles Davis’s electric period and features a whirlwind of rhythms and spellbinding guitar parts, creating a surreal sonic journey.
Sizemore wrote the lyrics, reflecting on technology’s dark side while maintaining a glimmer of hope for a better future. The song puzzles together fragments into an unusual yet captivating 7/4 time signature. Sizemore’s writing swings between lamenting society’s current state and envisioning a brighter possibility, reflecting the album’s thematic duality.
Other standout tracks include the jittery and explosive “Burn Me Down,” the punk-infused “Electricide,” and “Syster System,” which explores partnership culture inspired by Riane Eisler’s book The Chalice and the Blade.
In this track, the band meditates on the potential for technology to harmonize with nature if we embrace a more symbiotic, feminine energy. Closing the album is “Political Cannibalism,” a danceable track with plenty of quirky, experimental details, including a warped guitar part that Menashe crafted spontaneously in an attic in France.
With Data Doom, Frankie and the Witch Fingers continue to push the boundaries of psych-rock, offering a wild, eclectic, and intellectually engaging experience for their fans. Look for more music as they prepare for their tour, bringing their electrifying sound to audiences across the country.
Check out “i-Candy” by Frankie and The Witch Fingers on Bandcamp here.
Frankie and The Witch Fingers: Bandcamp | Instagram | Official Website
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