On their debut album Voyage Out, Floatie deliver something fresh and unexpected


If alt-dreamy was a thing, Floatie have already mastered it, with a seamless musicality and a lighthearted sound that’s gloriously tough to pin down. That’s not to say their songs are without substance. “Shiny is about finding the drive to make choices that will give you self-assurance and help you to feel worthy of others’ companionship,” says singer/guitarist Sam Bern. “It is about forcing your own luck by committing to your decisions. ‘Some luck, it’s happenstance, or consequence.’”

The Chicago-based band consists of four dear friends—Sam Bern (vocals/guitar), Luc Schutz (drums), Joe Olson (vocals/bass), and Will Wisniewski (guitar/synth)—who came together to create Floatie in 2018. In their three years, they’ve gained a reputation as a must-see live show, and, after you read this interview, they’ll further enhance their renown as big-hearted, quick-witted humans you’d totally want to join a book club with. (And then some.)

Here’s a day in the life of Floatie.

 

 

Date May 31, 2021

Time I woke up

7:30 a.m. — Sam

6:40 a.m. — Luc

4:30 a.m. — Will

5:30 a.m. — Joe

Every day starts with

A big stretch. — Sam

A quick stroll to the bathroom. — Luc

Sitting upright in bed. — Will

Letting the cat out. — Joe

Breakfast consists of

Banana and oatmeal. — Sam

Veggies, eggs, and some sort of vessel. — Luc

Coffee, sometimes bread. — Will

Coffee, sometimes granola. — Joe

To get going I always

Tell myself it’s going to be okay. — Sam

Stretch a little. — Luc

Drink the coffee. — Will

Wash my face. — Joe

I don’t feel dressed without

My large hat with a feather in it. — Sam

My solar shields. — Luc

My elastic skin suit. — Will

My big dumb bag with a little camera in it. — Joe

 

 

Before I start working I must

Put on my safety glasses. — Sam

Warm-up my hands.
— Luc

Accept responsibility for the results. — Will

Be wearing my messy clothes. — Joe

Currently working on

Some riffs. — Sam

The commune. — Luc

Building a synthesizer. — Will

The shop. — Joe

But I’d really love to be

Overflowing with riffs. — Sam

Already existing at the commune. — Luc

Playing a synthesizer. — Will

Taking photos. — Joe

Book I’m reading
Three Musketeers. — Sam
There Is Nothing So Whole as s Broken Heart. — Luc
The Parable of the Sower. — Will
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. — Joe

I don’t know how anyone ever

Smiles. — Sam

Wrote a whole good book. — Luc

Lives with grief. — Will

Thinks Home Run Inn isn’t the most supreme frozen pizza. — Joe

If I had to play one album on repeat, it would be
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl. — Sam
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. — Luc
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. — Will
The Matrix: Music from the Motion Picture. — Joe

The perfect midday consists of

A long nap beneath the Eldergleam tree. — Sam

A float down the river.
— Luc

A drift along the roving plains. — Will

Lunch. — Joe

To help get through the day I need

To activate autopilot. — Sam

My friends. — Luc

To remember my training. — Will

More coffee. — Joe

Not a day goes by without speaking to

Victor the cat. — Sam

Louis the cat. — Luc

Yak the dog. — Will

Also Louis the cat. — Joe

My daydreams consist of

Sailing my boat.
— Sam

Anarchy. — Luc

An array of breads and cheeses. — Will

Not Illinois. — Joe

In a perfect day, in a perfect world

There is no money.
— Sam

The anarchists don’t have to live on the moon and there is joy on earth. — Luc

A hog drinks from a stream. — Will

A frog sits by the stream. — Joe

I’ll always fight for

My friends honor. — Sam

The commune. — Luc

You. — Will

Honey mustard. — Joe

Currently in love with

Looking in the mirror. — Sam

All my friends. — Luc

Guatemalan honey. — Will

Moped repair YouTube videos. — Joe

Hoping to make time to watch
Battlestar Galactica. — Sam
Million Dollar Babies. — Luc

Power Comics YouTube channel. — Will

Moped repair YouTube videos. — Joe

By my bedside I always have

A framed photograph of my bandmates. — Sam

A photo of a goat named Calamity Jane. — Luc

Tall bars that keep me from falling out of bed. — Will

Water. — Joe

To help get through the night I

Turn on my infrared cameras. — Sam

Sleep with one eye taped open. — Luc

Remember my training. — Will

Attain unconsciousness. — Joe

Bed time

Midnight. — Sam

I moved out of my parents’ a while ago. Just me and my friends now, so no rules. — Luc

9 p.m. — Will

Same, no rules at me and Luc’s house. — Joe

When I think about tomorrow, it’s always

A blessing and a curse. — Sam

A mystery. — Luc

Never guaranteed. — Will

Prefer to not. — Joe

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