Smooth, cool and delicious… infused with tropical and tantalising flavours, rich with the taste of Summer. The only difference between Sydney band Froyo and their namesake is that one comes with a spoon. And it’s not the band – that I know of. The three piece synth-pop outfit have been whipping up their luscious brand of 80’s influenced electronica since 2013, and this week sees the release of their latest single; Pride.
Soaked in lush production, the masters of 80s synth-pop revival Froyo have returned with Pride. Like a cool change after a heat wave, let it wash over you.
Underlying the feel good melodies and tropical sounding instrumentation, the track tells the story of a careworn relationship. As the band describe it, something “not unlike the dynamic between a desperate parent and their rebellious child. Too busy saving face or being headstrong, our relationships will falter when one (or both) refuses to let go of their pride.” The wistful longings of the narrative come into play with the breathy, dreamy vocals from vocalist Allyson Montenegro.
Layered like thoughts against each other, the effect is a little hypnotic, especially backed by the delectable smorgasbord of synths and percussion. And I’m not the only one to feel this inexplicable urge to pepper my descriptions of Froyo’s latest effort with culinary terms. Speaking to the band about recording the track, they themselves likened the process to making a masterful dish. Blending the fun, danceable feel of their style with a deeper meaning was something that Froyo were keen to master with Pride.
To use their own catchy ethos; “music needs more than a dance beat… it needs a heart beat”. And in balancing those two aspects, they told me that the writing and production process were “kinda like hiding vegetables inside a very tasty plate of lasagne. In between all those spicy layers of lush production-sauce, are some very worthwhile stuff… and you won’t realize we snuck those in so long as you’re busy enjoying the flavors”.
As the slick and clean production polishes off the track like the finest patissier’s glaze, the shine in no way overrides the strong melodies and beats that do form the heartbeat of Pride. And underneath the delicate vocals lurks the rather heart rending lyrical message, reaching out through the poignant refrains, and the misty feel to Montenegro’s voice.
The original three piece; Allyson, Michael Chow (keys) and Tom Brett (sticks), have also made an addition to their live show. The striking jawline featured on the artwork for Pride is also that of friend and new band member Sonia Singh, who joins Froyo on guitar. Looking forward to their next show at Oxford Art Factory on March 26th, the band are “Super excited to perform Pride in front of people, as we’ve tested it live at gigs that were played earlier in the year and it definitely went off.”
Froyo are also working on a new video clip for last years release Dream Fall. As one of their personal favourites, they assure me that the clip will be “a very cool and heartwarming visual narrative to go along with it.” With all this to look forward to, it’s looking quite likely that Froyo are quickly going to become my favourite Summer snack.
