Chicago indie rock band Friko has revealed their sophomore album, Something Worth Waiting For, set for release on April 24 via ATO Records. The announcement comes with a video for the lead single 'Seven Degrees,' marking the group's first record as a quartet. Produced by John Congleton, the album explores themes of transit and connection.
Friko, the Chicago-based band, announced their second studio album, Something Worth Waiting For, on February 3, 2026. The record, due out April 24 on ATO Records, represents their evolution into a four-piece lineup. Founding members Niko Kapetan on vocals and guitar and Bailey Minzenberger on drums are now joined by guitarist Korgan Robb and bassist David Fuller.
The album was produced by John Congleton, known for collaborations with acts like Mannequin Pussy and Angel Olsen, and recorded at his Los Angeles studio. Kapetan explained the album's thematic core in a press statement: “If the general theme of the record is transit, then the title gets at the idea of always moving toward something you never quite seem to reach.”
Accompanying the announcement is the lead single 'Seven Degrees,' for which Friko shared a video depicting the band jamming on a dirt track amid RC car races. The track features calming guitar plucks and a sing-along structure with surreal ambience. Kapetan shared its inspiration: “For a long time I thought the saying was ‘Seven degrees of separation,’ and not ‘six.’ There’s a lightness to that song, but really it’s about connection, and trying to stay close to the people you care about.”
This follows Friko's debut album, Where We’ve Been, Where We Go From Here, released in February 2024, which earned acclaim and ranked No. 8 on Pitchfork's list of the 30 best rock albums of that year. A deluxe edition arrived in November 2024, after which the band toured Europe and the UK, with a North American tour planned for spring 2025.
To mark the new release, Friko will play a hometown show at Chicago's Metro on April 25, with tickets on sale February 6 at 10 a.m. CST. The album tracklist includes: 01 Guess, 02 Still Around, 03 Choo Choo, 04 Alice, 05 Certainty, 06 Hot Air Balloon, 07 Seven Degrees, 08 Something Worth Waiting For, 09 Dear Bicycle.
