SINGLE REVIEW: Vienna – Just Friends

‘…If ‘Just Friends’ is anything to go by (and spoilers: it is), then the band’s EP promises to be a genuine gem of an emo record that places Vienna at the front of the UK emo pack…’

Midlands emo outfit Vienna had quite the 2025. The four-piece released their debut EP, ‘Sleep Fighter II’, in April, and followed it up with continuous shows across England, including a headline performance at Birmingham’s Centrala. Even as the year drew to an end, the emo never stopped flowing, with the release of the incredible single ‘Quiet Season’.

Somehow, 2026 is shaping up to be even bigger, with not only a co-headline tour with fellow alternative rockers Chasing Dolls, but also the release of the band’s sophomore EP, ‘For Friends’. That record drops next week, but in the meantime, Vienna have elected to satiate appetites with an absolute firecracker of a lead single. Pushing themselves in a post-hardcore direction, ‘Just Friends’ brings math-rock inspired riffs and a devilishly good percussive performance to make heartbreak sound downright groovy. Bold bass lines thunder across of an acrobatic display of drum fills and driving rhythms, hauling you to your feet with its undeniable infectiousness.

It’s an incredibly refreshing take on Vienna’s skill set, yet arrives sounding wholly natural. Ben Jones’ screamed vocals are whimsically ferocious, cruising atop of the two-step discotheque of an instrumental with emo sad-boy swagger. It’s all incredibly playful, and the track doesn’t take itself all that seriously, yet cannot hide the fact that these are some serious musicians; the individual performances are sharp and creatively composed, whilst the whole is pieced together with impressive polish.

If ‘Just Friends’ is anything to go by (and spoilers: it is), then the band’s EP promises to be a genuine gem of an emo record that places Vienna at the front of the UK emo pack. Time and time again, not only do Vienna surprise you as a listener, but then proceed to make you wonder why you ever thought they weren’t capable of new and exciting sounds. Get this track spinning, and get ready for their EP, arriving next week.

For Fans Of: pulses., Maverick Mom, Issues, Animalcules,

Preorder the band’s upcoming EP here via Best Life Records.

Follow the band on social media below:

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