Pomomofo

Pomomofo

When Sydney electro-rock trio Pomomofo first appeared on the scene, a friend of mine summarised their efforts with the line: “even Spod thinks they are ridiculous.” Spod is an Australian electro act known for his outlandishly trashy gimmicks, kind of like other character-based artists such as Har Mar Superstar. For a band that includes tennis in their onstage antics and a cites Bret Easton Ellis among their influences, you can see wherein lies the comparison.

But gradually Pomomofo have begun to appear on more radio playlists and are being listed on some high profile live billings. I’m not sure if it’s because people have started to pay more attention to the music or if they’re just more at peace with the gimmicks. For me, the gimmicks no longer jar as an obvious attempt to stand out from the hordes of skinny jeans and the typical new wave influences of so many other bands. Rather, the clowning around seems to be fused with the music and together they encapsulate the best bits of ‘the scene’.

All at once, Pomomfo are sleazy, hilarious, and incredibly self-referential. Their music makes you want to get down and dirty, party party party, have fun, let loose… and a whole lot of other clichés. So it appears their self-referentiality is contagious, but never fear this band doesn’t get too obsessed with itself. They are just obsessed with how freaking fun music can be.

Pomomofo – ‘Been Around Town’

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