Prinze George is an indie synth pop outfit based in Brooklyn and comprised of Naomi Almquist, Kenny Grimm, Stan Rapoport, and Andrew Santucci. Still a fledgeling band, they’ve released three singles in the past year, but it was the second of the three that began garnering attention- Victor. Naomi’s lead vocals thread themselves into the fabric of the synthetic- pulsating emotion. They follow a formula championed by David Bowie- “We’ve got to create something that’s the same but really quite different“. Prinze George is reveling within a pop schema while bringing their own flavor, and producing tracks that are abstract yet translate into many of our experiences. For avid Pop fans there are many qualities to distinguish Victor from its counterparts. Sia quality pop writing and finely tuned production- their tracks highlight my favorite facets of Pop song production that get lost in huge choruses- gently pulsating synthesizers, slight snaps, and elemental structures slowly growing alongside Naomis lyrics and vocals. By the end of the song, as she chants, “Victor, you are not my father, you are not my lover, you are all the other“, chills run up and down my bones. Beyond that she strikes a beautiful lyrical arc, having lead us through Victor’s deceptions and to a stark realization that he never filled some of her basic needs- comfort and passion. But the song has its moments of lightness, like with the affected mmhmm‘s that occur in between the refrains of the first verse. They are so perfectly sassy it reminds us Naomi is scorning a failed lover, more so than lamenting loss.
Most recently Prinze George have released their third single, This Time. “I gave my mind to a game of cards… I never wanted your best regards“- it’s empowering to see that they are still delivering what’s great about Victor without being redundant. Very well written lyrics and melodies guide the listener on an emotional journey and then thrust them into huge pop choruses that are likely to get their blood pumping. Naomi packs a pressure punch of feeling in a simple oooh during the bridge, elevating simplicity to nuance and thoughtful delivery. Stunning.
Also, check out their first single, Children in the Audience, below.
Kaiotic Music 