By Kevin Perez
The pop-duo Surfaces, formed by Forrest Frank and Colin Padalecki , are back with another album. The pair, known for their genre-mixing music, have made big strides in the music industry in recent years and are prepared to do it once more.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Surfaces rose to the charts with their 2019 single “Sunday Best”, as it became one of the most used TikTok sounds during quarantine. The track now has over 800 million streams on Spotify and still remains one of their most popular songs. The main chorus of the song follows the line “feeling good”, words that reflect the energy of every track the team puts out.
On Friday, the duo released their fifth studio album Hidden Youth, following their previous albums Pacifico, Horizons, Where the Light Is, and Surf.
Within the title itself, the duo’s mantra is already emphasized, exuding the relaxed, comforting vibe Surfaces strives in.
The duo has its own sources of inspiration for each of their albums; their album Pacifico took after Malibu, California, and this time, they found motivation in the desert in Joshua Tree National Park.
Moving away from bodies of water that influenced their previous four albums, the album created with land in mind is just as good, if not, even better. This album revolves around communication and the energy the good times of relationships bring.
Hidden Youth contains 14 tracks, including three singles in “I Can’t Help But Feel” released in April, “What’s Been On Your Mind” in June, and “Rooftops” in July.
The album begins with its intro, “Into the Desert”, providing a seamless transition into the first song on the album “Golden Hour” which perfectly cements the romantic emotions induced by the album.
“It Only Takes Two” and “Champagne” continue the relationship bonding with more up-beat verses describing the good memories that come with relationships. It seems like both these songs were made for a perfect picnic in the park with the lines, “You make me wanna tango” and, “Champagne mix it with the OJ”.
In previous albums, Surfaces has never been shy about slowing the pop down and getting people in a good mood. This album is no different. One of three singles, “Rooftops” is a softer pop track revolving around being saved by someone and being in their company. The chorus of the song says, “Dance my keys off the table top” and leaves listeners in a smooth and peaceful mood at the right moment.
The highlight of this album is the way the instruments and beats are blended in “Brand New” and “Find A Way”. “Brand New” features pulsing guitar beats joined by the slick sound of maracas to deliver the “new” joy someone can bring. In “Find A Way” the soothing voice applied by Surfaces in the chorus goes hand in hand with the piano beats and snapping, continuing the re-energized feeling Hidden Youth focuses on.
While other tracks successfully add a new blend through energized beats, the first single released, “I Can’t Help But Feel”, does it best. The duo built the hype for their first release in months with TikTok teases for “I Can’t Help But Feel” and it absolutely delivered on the high beat energy Surfaces loves to delve into. The track is a pure mood setter, with the blend of maracas set by the tap of cymbals leaves listeners with only one option: to groove.
As a whole, Hidden Youth might be Surfaces’ best piece of work in their six years as a duo. From the softer pop songs like “Rooftops” and “Hold Onto Me Baby” to the energizing beat in “What’s Been On Your Mind”, the album relishes in the growth of relationships and positive times.
If there’s anything that Hidden Youth proves, it’s that Surfaces has a bright future ahead of them; in the meantime, the album sets just the right tone for a late-summer picnic at the park with friends or a significant other.
