The first time I heard ambient-pop duo Amethysts, I was in a small and intimate venue somewhere in Cambridge. It only took the first few glistening notes of (what I found out later to be) their song ‘Stones’ to know I’d be hooked and for that tiny room to feel infinite as it filled with transcendent soundscapes.
After following them around (not stalking) for a couple more shows before the lockdowns I caught a performance of the then-unreleased single ‘Frore’. The haunting vocals of singer Clarice and the quite difficult-to-say title made this a track that really stood out, which is why when the song was officially released this month, I was keen to hear the polished product.
The release of ‘Frore’ did not disappoint. Complimenting the name of the track, an ice-cold ambience is expressed from the outset. Wistful vocals are contrasted by sharp synths and biting guitars, coming together to perfectly reflect the emotions of longing and urgency to recover a relationship going in the wrong direction.
Speaking on what inspired the songwriting, the duo share, “Frore was written from an outsider’s perspective after a friend of ours opened up to us about their relationship turning frosty over time and not knowing how to fix it. We wanted to capture that feeling of uncertainty and emotion within the lyrics.”
“Musically, we’ve been working on it for a while now. It was written during a jamming session with an arpeggiator loop and some intertwining guitar lines but since we’ve been playing it live we’ve developed it – We’ve changed the beat a few times, switched around a lot of the arrangement and built it into what it is now.”
‘Frore’ will also be featured on the duo’s debut album which is slated for release in late 2021. So if you haven’t already, make sure you check out Amethysts and save them to your library. Especially if you like purple.
Amethysts are Clarice and Simon Lucas-Hughes