Hackney duo 0171 tantalise in the futuristic power pop of “Follow”

Hyper-pop music is surely having a renaissance revival. The previously perceived sickly sounds of 90s chart classics and Y2K bangers have now been twisted and adopted by the cool kids of 2020. There has never been any shame in this of course, but instead a new understanding: these were the anthems of millennial childhood, the ones we discarded in our adolescence as we went down more subcultural roots, yet now realise how misguided we were.

0171 have seen the light, one similarly gazed upon by the likes of PC Music honcho A. G. Cook and Charli XCX. The Hackney-based duo have found new confidence in their newest single “Follow”, which sees them adopt a more mainstream slant to their sound. Released in the wake of recent release “Automatic”, “Follow” sets aside the eerie whirr and bassy notes of the former for shameless upbeat beats and synths.

Taking influence and inspiration from pop classics such as “Sex On The Beach” and Vengaboys’ “We Like To Party” as well as striking a more affable pop melody, “Follow” is the most accessible and immediate delivery by 0171 to date. It makes the announcement of their imminent second EP, Change Nothing, even more exciting.

“'Follow' is a fantasy,” share 0171 members Joe Bedell-Brill and Georgie Hoare of their new single. “It’s all about a longing to just let go and believe that everything’s fine, everything’s perfect, even if you know it’s a lie. This is the fantasy world that pop music provides - a world where you really can just take someone’s hand and drive off into the sunset with the top down. We know it’s fake, but we might as well believe in it.”