{"id":96722,"date":"2026-08-07T09:58:18","date_gmt":"2026-08-07T08:58:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/?p=96722"},"modified":"2026-08-07T09:58:19","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T08:58:19","slug":"fendi-efendi-issues-a-warning-with-synth-pop-debut-single-dont-play-with-fire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2026\/08\/fendi-efendi-issues-a-warning-with-synth-pop-debut-single-dont-play-with-fire\/","title":{"rendered":"Fendi Efendi\u00a0Issues A Warning With Synth-Pop\u00a0Debut Single,\u00a0‘Don’t Play With Fire’\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Out today the 7th of August, ‘Don’t Play With Fire’ is the debut single from rising artist, Fendi Efendi.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

‘Don’t Play With Fire’ is available to stream and download here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Originally from Java, Indonesia, Fendi Efendi is now a Dutch citizen based in the Netherlands, and consequently his sound has been shaped by two very different worlds. In Indonesia he grew up in a culture where the line between the ordinary and extraordinary was thin to non-existent, with tales of mystical forces finding their way into everyday life, shaping his world as easily as the weather. Moving to Europe saw him having to confront a completely different world view, one which was somewhat less spiritual, and focused more on logic and secular thinking. It’s this disparity that formed the basis of ‘Don’t Play With Fire’, which takes a deep dive into what it means to carry magical stories from one life into one that is more pragmatic at heart; he asks if it’s ever possible to be part of both at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite having written songs since he was fourteen years old, and despite being a natural storyteller, it was with this track that he faced one of his greatest creative challenges – writing in English. Fendi however was up to the challenge, and instead of doing what he would do normally, that is, reaching for detail and narrative depth, he this time took his writing down to its bare bones, and allowed the music to bear as much weight as the lyrics, resulting in an expansive track that benefits from the time and effort spent sharpening his songwriting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bringing the tension in the track to life, Fendi Efendi was drawn to the shimmering textures of synth-pop, and alongside a local producer, experimented with the sound over long hours in a basement studio in Utrecht. The end result was the glorious track we have today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

‘Don’t Play With Fire’ is out now and is available to stream and download here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can find out more about Fendi Efendi and his music online on Instagram<\/a>,\u00a0Twitter<\/a>, and\u00a0Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Out today the 7th of August, ‘Don’t Play With Fire’ is the debut single from rising artist, Fendi Efendi.<\/p>\n

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<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":96725,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"Out today the 7th of August, 'Don't Play With Fire' is the debut single from rising artist, Fendi Efendi.","jetpack_seo_html_title":"Fendi Efendi\u00a0Issues A Warning With Synth-Pop\u00a0Debut Single,\u00a0'Don't Play With Fire'\u00a0","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Out on the 7th of August, 'Don't Play With Fire' is the debut single from rising artist, Fendi Efendi.","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[7,57,9,21453,21445,21446],"tags":[620,33786,33785,11720,989,77,370,116,10677],"class_list":["post-96722","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music","category-new-artists","category-new-releases","category-new-singles","category-reviews","category-single-reviews","tag-debut","tag-dont-play-with-fire","tag-fendi-efendi","tag-lisa-hafey","tag-new-artist","tag-new-release","tag-new-single","tag-review","tag-single-review"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5yMhl-pa2","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":83494,"url":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2023\/08\/anna-aya-traverses-boundaries-with-new-single-and-video-someone-else\/","url_meta":{"origin":96722,"position":0},"title":"Anna Aya Traverses Boundaries With New Single And Video, ‘Someone Else’","author":"Lisa Hafey","date":"16\/08\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"With a sound that transcends cultures and joins them in song, multi-faceted artist Anna Aya pays homage to the individual parts of her identity in her new single, 'Someone Else'.","rel":"","context":"In "Music"","block_context":{"text":"Music","link":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/category\/music\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Anna-Someone-Else-art.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Anna-Someone-Else-art.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Anna-Someone-Else-art.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Anna-Someone-Else-art.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Anna-Someone-Else-art.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":59215,"url":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2020\/01\/electro-pop-juggernaut-kiesza-releases-music-video-for-new-single-when-boys-cry\/","url_meta":{"origin":96722,"position":1},"title":"Electro-Pop Juggernaut Kiesza Releases Music Video For New Single ‘When Boys Cry’","author":"Essentially Pop","date":"22\/01\/2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Electro-pop juggernaut Kiesza has released the music video for new single 'When Boys Cry'. Directed by Nytrix DOP: Chris Copro, the stunning video sees Kiezsa bring her charisma and dance moves to the streets of Melrose, Los Angeles.","rel":"","context":"In "Music"","block_context":{"text":"Music","link":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/category\/music\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Kiesza1.jpg.png?fit=418%2C235&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":58907,"url":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2020\/01\/electro-pop-juggernaut-kiesza-deconstructs-masculinity-on-new-single-when-boys-cry\/","url_meta":{"origin":96722,"position":2},"title":"Electro-Pop Juggernaut Kiesza Deconstructs Masculinity On New Single ‘When Boys Cry’","author":"Essentially Pop","date":"10\/01\/2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Today Canadian singer-songwriter\u00a0Kiesza\u00a0kicks off 2020 with the release of her new single \u2018When Boys Cry\u2019\u00a0through her own label, Zebra Spirit Tribe. Retaking her rightful place on the electro-pop scene at the end of\u00a02019 with the release of her first official UK single in years,\u00a0the critically acclaimed\u00a0\u2018You\u2019re The Best\u2019,\u00a0Kiesza\u00a0is firmly back\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Kiesza-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Kiesza-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Kiesza-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Kiesza-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Kiesza-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":38599,"url":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2018\/07\/navakaine-skyliner\/","url_meta":{"origin":96722,"position":3},"title":"Navakaine – ‘Skyliner’","author":"Lisa Hafey","date":"27\/07\/2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Navakaine, with her name a reference to the pain killing drug, is soon to be everyone\u2019s new addiction. 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