Friko from Chicago has released “Choo Choo” ahead of their sophomore album Something Worth Waiting For. The new track channels the frantic, combustible energy that has become the band’s signature, but it also pushes into stranger, more playful territory. Warped vocal effects flicker in and out of the mix, adding an exciting new element, showing that Friko refuses to be boxed into any single sound or scene.
While the looping “Choo Choo” hook in the chorus lands as a humorous wink, it also carries a deeper mantra. Something childlike on the surface but tinged with longing underneath. That duality mirrors the song’s themes: the odd, rootless rhythm of vagabond life and frontperson Niko Kapetan’s lifelong fascination with trains. Rather than treating that obsession as a quirk, the band leans into it, using the imagery to explore escape and constant, destination-less motion. The accompanying video, directed by Anastasiya “Stas” Slyvka, was filmed on Chicago Transit Authority (CTA).
“I’ve always had a thing with the magic of trains, and when I was writing that song I started singing ‘choo choo’ and it made me laugh… It always feels good to play live, with all the slowdowns and speed-ups, but it’s also a very emotional homage to the band and how they feel like home to me.”
-Niko Kapetan on “Choo Choo”
“Choo Choo” is released ahead of Friko’s upcoming album, Something Worth Waiting For, out April 24th via ATO Records. Pre-order available here.
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