It’s been a minute since we’ve heard from Aussie fuzzpop duo Surfing. They made a few waves (sorry) on the web with their debut Deep Fantasy back in 2012 and then seemingly disappeared without notice. The aforementioned album had me entranced, simultaneously chilled-out and warm, with funky vibes all around. It’s hard to call any music “right,” but damn, Surfing did retro right.
I’m happy to report that Surfing have resurfaced (sorry again) and with none other than 100% Electronica, purveyors of new age pop and all your Y2K-inspired desires. The lurching, sleazy melody of Surfing’s latest single, “Otherside,” has me all sorts of ecstatic. It’s a saturating tune, 30° Celsius pop blooming out of nostalgic psychedelia. Funky inclinations considered, there’s some bitterness in the air of “Otherside” — some cologne-laced sweat via the swelter, accentuated by overstimulating urban trappings. It’s the kind of lingering taste that manifests itself everywhere from dust-caked storefronts to the standing water on dying orchids in front of them.
Beyond the faux-lazy, fuzzy strumming of Surfing, there’s a deeply reflective vibe, and it comes out nicely on “Otherside.” Whatever “-wave” folks attach themselves to (vaporwave, chillwave, etc.) would miss the point. These guys are all about the wake, not the wave, if you ask me.