Waves

 

Frank Popp Ensemble's latest album, Waves, released on April 11, 2025, via Unique Records, is a vibrant blend of Northern Soul, psychedelia and garage rock, embellished with strings and drenched in reverb. One of the reasons I have fallen for it so hard and so quickly is because of the album's eclectic nature, it's like a compilation or a mixtape.

Waves features eleven tracks, each enriched by collaborations with notable artists like Gerry Love (Teenage Fanclub), Nicke Andersson (The Hellacopters), Emma Noble, and J Mahon.​

The album opens with the northern soul flavoured Love Is A Distraction, featuring J Mahon, whose androgynous soul vocals set a Motown-inspired tone. 

Emma Noble's contribution on Unstoppable delivers a girl-groupish anthem that has already gained attention on BBC's Craig Charles' Soul Show. Gerry Love revisits his 2004 Teenage Fanclub track Save, transforming it into an orchestral soul piece. The closing instrumental is sublime. Nicke Andersson brings high-energy Northern Soul vibes to Caught In A Web.​

J Mahon stands out with his performances on five tracks, including the single Going Going Gone, which echoes early 70s Motown with its catchy brass hooks. My own personal favourite is Heartbreak (In A Really Good Way), Mahon's voice is exceptional and the arrangement is exquisite. Mahon also takes on The Replacements Swingin' Party and you can imagine that Frank Popp would hold a swinging party!​

Popp sings on Ride, a swirling garage rock tune/drone that he happened to have kicking round.

Waves is out now, available on black and pink vinyl from ​Unique Records