The Finnish indie pop group French Films formed in 2010 with the lineup of vocalist/guitarist Johannes Leppänen, vocalist/guitarist Joni Kähkönen, vocalist/bassist Mikael Jurmu, vocalist/synth player Santtu Vainio, and Antti Inkiläinen on drums. The group drew inspiration from classic American pop like the Beach Boys and the Ramones, along with Scottish noise pop like the Shop Assistants and the Vaselines, while coming up with their own sound. They began playing shows in their native country and released a debut EP, Golden Sea, for GAEA Records in 2010. They logged many miles playing shows in Europe and Asia before their first album, Imaginary Future, was issued in late 2011. The album garnered favorable critical response and the band continued playing shows, including the prestigious Roskilde Festival in July 2012. Their second album for GAEA, White Orchid, was released in 2013. ~ Tim Sendra