I have a cat named Fitzy. Here he is.
Naturally, due to this slight coincidence, I was drawn to the band named “Fritz” that popped out at me one night while Bandcamp surfing. Fritz has renewed my love for shoegaze that really hasn’t been absent for that long. They’re an Australian-based band led primarily by a 21 year old. Fritz’s sound can most easily be described as noise-pop. It’s loud, bursting with brightness, led by airy vocals and backed by a percussion section that’s catchy enough to make you wonder if it is a drum machine doing the work (it’s not). The guitar riffs draw on shoegaze and the synths call back to the 80’s.
The track that caught my ear, “Arrow,” is off their most recent album that came out in February, titled Pastel. “Arrow” is a good representation of Fritz, I think. It’s super poppy, loud, and the harshness of the guitars contrasts nicely with the more gentle vocals and synths.
“Gracie, Forgive Me,” weighing in at a light minute and a half, is another strong track. The lyrics are charming, simple, and honest. A tame introduction then erupts into a siren of blaring synths.
I later discovered some of Fritz’s previous stuff, which leaned into more of a grungy, dark, dreamy vibe. The track below, “Iris,” off of their eponymous album has a gentle, depressive feel while the vocals float effortlessly through the song. The chorus then breaks in abruptly with guitars and yelling that are both harsh and moody.
My cat approves of Fritz, so you should, too. You can support Fritz on their Bandcamp here. If you’ve given them a listen or have some other dreampop/shoegazey recommendations, let me know!
indented 