There is a reason why I wrote this review two weeks after the release of the single: If you write about something, it is not wrong to wait a bit for once, savour it and find pros and cons (yes, there are pros and cons).
Unfortunately for years, journalism has been all about immediateness and haste, without analyzing well what’s been written. Then, one publishes fast to be the first, not to be the best.
ASHRR is a musical ensemble that seems not to be afraid to experiment, something that prevents them from making errors of appreciation and judgment before publishing something. In other words, when they take a risk, they know it won’t go wrong; being conservative is the real danger.
In case there is anyone who doesn’t know them yet, no, their music is not groundbreaking – they are not Aphex Twin – but it has to be understood in the context of three very experienced musicians who come from a very different place where their current music is headed (blues and roots music, and television). That’s why they compose music that is far away from their roots.
The whole string of singles we have discussed in QRO Mag have clear references to different styles of music, if not so much to a specific group or groups. This, at a time when big stars are replicating old songs, is a great victory.
Since announcing that they were working on their second album, the singles the band has released have been songs that grow exponentially with each listen. The band’s perfectionism has not been to the detriment of the song, quite the opposite: not wanting to release anything until you really want to hear the song again once you’ve finished listening to it, has been their greatest asset.
After “Sunshine Low” (QRO review), “Bad Reasons” (QRO review), and the energetic nocturnal version of “Talking In Your Sleep” (QRO review) by The Romantics, comes the title track of their second album: “Fizzy”.
Once again, with that urban style that combines light and shade, we have a single that combines space disco, light touches of electronica, soul, and a slight post-punk twist in the central part of the track (which many of you will remember from the Felix Dickinson remix of the track released in the summer of 2023) and light dub touches, courtesy of his collaboration with the genius of the genre, The Scientist.
The band has maximized the use of dual vocals from vocalist Stephen Davies and keyboardist Josh Charles, Ethan Allen’s zigzagging guitars drive the song in each of its sections, and Charles’ keyboards add space and give that subtle, elegant touch of the best seventies-style pop.
The key to the lyrics is in the chorus: “Never Stop, Green Light, Leave the World, Forever Time”.
At a time when everything has become too complicated on a global scale, ASHRR want to create a positive feeling in the listener and let them adapt the lyrics to their own personal situation and help them. They have been hitting the nail on the head for more than three years and, this time, they haven’t missed the mark either.
“Fizzy” is a song that catches the attention with its details, surprises the listener with its flow and that every pop fan should have in their playlists.
A hit.
Listen to “Fizzy” by ASHRR:
