On Sept. 7, Melbourne-based synthwave duo dropped their fourth studio album, “Emotion.” Surfing is the project of Penny Van Hazelberg and Leroy Honeycomb, together they make glistening nostalgic synth tunes. If you’re looking for a new indie band, definitely check out Surfing. To celebrate this exciting album release, the group put on a starry-eyed euphoric show at the Lodge Room in Highland Park.
The enthusiastic energy from the opening acts, LA Vampires and Aaron Shadow, pumped up the crowd. The venue was filled with people chatting among themselves, but once Surfing took the stage the lights dimmed to a dark blue and all eyes were focused on them. I glanced around at the crowd; We were all in a daze.
The duo’s set up was simple. Surfing kicked off their set with their beloved instrumental “Sky High” off their debut album, “INCUBO™.” It set the night’s mood and got everyone’s heads bobbing and hips swaying.
They quickly transitioned into the next track, “Hold On” and the venue immediately turned into a massive dance floor. The pair made a great decision to start off the night with their older tracks to get the crowd prepped and excited for the new tunes off of “Emotion.”
Surfing is one of a kind. The band’s unique style takes you into a world of funky bass lines, soft melodic vocals, and dreamy synths. It’s like a place you would never want to leave; just picture yourself on a beach in Miami, the year is 1988, sun going down, the sky is a beautiful mesh of orange and pink, totally Miami Vice vibes, and Surfing is playing in the background.
