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
