Stereo Six: Electronic Hip-Hop Duo FOUR FISTS Discuss the Top Six Records that Helped Shape Their New Album ‘6666’

For Stef Alexander and Andy Bothwell, a collaboration has been a long time in the making. The two highly talented musicians have known each other for ages and have been trying to find the right time to work together since they first met. The two artists, also known as P.O.S and Astronautalis, have been making guest appearances on each other’s records for over a decade, with their friendship stretching back even further.

As a duo, they are known as Four Fists and first released a 7″ in 2011 before life became very busy for them individually and the project was put on hiatus. Determined to finally make that recording together, they found a way to make it work and wrote and recorded the album 6666 (you can buy the record right here).

6666 is something of a protest record, drawing from the life of the highly inspirational punk rock legend Joe Strummer and it stands as one of the most original albums you’ll have heard in ages. In our latest edition of Stereo Six, we learned about some of the music that inspired both Bothwell and Alexander in the creation of Four Fists.

The band’s new record, 6666, was released earlier this year via Doomtree Records.

01. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros – Global A Go-Go (2001, Hellcat Records)
– This album has one of the best songs ever written; “Johnny Appleseed.” What I love about this song and this album, is it still contains all of the political might of a Clash album, but filtered through the internal peace Strummer found later in Joe’s life. It is tough to age gracefully as a punk, and the same goes for rap. “6666” feels like Stef and I learning how to grow up, in rap/punk, and I have taken so much guidance from Strummer on this path. -Andy Bothwell

02. Future – HNDRXX (2017, A1, Epic, Freebandz)
– This album…is so flawless. What Future is doing, as a vocalist, how he is shaping simple beats, into amazing songs, just with his voice and auto-tune…is so amazing. On top of that, how he can write the saddest lyrics, and still make them into the nastiest club hits…is deeply inspiring. I always admire someone who can work so well in contrasts. -Andy Bothwell

03. YAYAYA – Self-Titled (2018, Magical Properties)
– One half of this group is the amazing Dutch musician, Subp Yao who also produced our entire record. Subp sent me this while we were recording, and it totally blew my mind. I remember listening to this super loud every morning on the amazing speakers at April Base to get excited. I still listen to this album a lot, and it continues to unfold in new ways for me. I feel so lucky to have that dude on our side. Subp Yao is a genius. -Andy Bothwell

04. Doom – Born Like This (2009, Lex Records)
– Or really any Doom. His approach to flow. Or really to everything technical about rapping is my favorite. I don’t think I ever get close to sounding like him. But I wish anything I did sounded as easy. I pushed that a lot on this one. -Stef Alexander

05. Idles – Brutalism (2017, Partisan Records)
– Can’t see how this didn’t get in, I listened to it basically every day for the first few months it was out. It’s near perfect to me. -Stef Alexander

06. Jon Hopkins – Singularity (2018, Domino Recording Company)
– My favorite producer is a new one. Constantly evolving jams. Nothing stays the same too long. Easy to listen to in the background, but full of beauty and detail upon any type of inspection. This Four Fists record was build aiming in that direction. We didn’t want anything to stay still. The beats and production stay moving. -Stef Alexander

It’s “Nobody’s Biz” with the new music video from Four Fists.