SYNCO - Believe It



If there's one word that can be associated most with girl bands in the pop world over the past few years, it would be "nearly". It seems that no matter how many tried to step out from the shadows of the myriad female solo artists and their comparatively more successful male counterparts, the challenge was time and time again just that one step too far. For all that Weekend and the Stat Nerds have created a buzz about boy band music that rivals that seen among the very biggest stars of the past decade, girl groups seem to have always fallen just short. Brown Sugar, Calisto, Mabirds and Lashes are just a few of the names who have promised so much, and ultimately fail to hit the heights that they might have done. However, girl bands have started to see something of a revival in recent times, and with 4U and The Dolls both delivering music that struck a chord with fans and critics alike in the past 12 months, it seems like one of pop's most promising acts, a girl group that some would say had previously come so close, "nearly" achieving their dreams of stardom, have taken it upon themselves to catapult girl bands back to where they belong to be, to an area where Girl Power was both Scandalous and Indepent, and most importantly, to a space and time where they could stand alone on their own two feet and prove that they have what it takes.

"Grown" is the buzzword around American-British five-piece SYNCO at the moment - and with the release of the first official single from their highly-anticipated album of the same name, it's clear to see that "Grown" is as much a biographical statement as it is a title. SYNCO have always been a band that have flirted with and cautiously fluttered their eyelashes at the prospect of greatness. Built around unity, friendship and cuteness, the band have been a solid prospect for the past few years, with a debut album that shifted a fair few copies and numerous global appearances, including becoming the first act ever to have graced the Chaos Awards stage three times with their live show. Perhaps their one problem, however, was that people wrongly failed to take them as seriously as they should have done. Five girls, all teenagers, having fun and being teenagers - it seems like a recipe for success, but did the music industry really take to them? In short - not like it should have. But that's all about to change if SYNCO's latest single is any indicator of what's to come.

Back with a new image and a more mature sound, SYNCO are clearly ready for action, and they mean business. Believe It is a raw, stripped back and honest emotional ballad that is so different to what we've heard from SYNCO in the past that you would swear at first listen that it's a different band entirely. Accompanied by little more than the gentle drum beat and clapping track, the track allows the five girls to really show off their vocal skills, and wow have they got skills! The mixed tones of the five as individuals are wonderful - going from the sweet and quiet, to the husky and sensual all the way to the powerful and mind blowing - while the moments they come together to harmonise on the massively empowering chorus will blow you away. The song itself leads with a theme of loneliness and being broken down, and these feelings are conveyed quite expertly through the lone vocals that emerge from the quiet backing, while the chorus itself comes forth with a message of unity and belief that will bring a smile to any face. Perhaps the most important part of the track for the band, however, is the emotion it carries. Too much pop music out there could be dismissed as soulless and empty, but not SYNCO. The girls clearly truly feel their art and connect with the song, a factor that makes it feel all the more raw and real than we might be used to in pop music, and it's glorious.

Perhaps SYNCO have just landed on something lucky here, but we don't think so - we think they may have just unlocked the secret to worldwide success in the land of girl band pop music. Because Believe It is so much more than just a song, much more than just a ballad about teenage problems. It's a message, and a call to arms that people can feel close to and can connect to on a much deeper level. It may not come packed with all the sass and attitude of someone like Destiny's Child or Misteeq, but it has a raw honesty that will resonate with so many people around the world, and it is that which will allow SYNCO to become one of the sensations of 2014. With the album just around the corner, and this fantastic lead single shining a torch for what's to come, SYNCO are about to shed the skin of "nearly" and become one of the biggest girl bands in the world. Put quite simply, they've Grown. And it couldn't have come soon enough.

*****

Somebody should be my best friend and review Rum's E.P. Word of Mouth for the The Golden 15's thread as the week's number one album review lol. I've been trying to do this more often but I can't review my own album. An example: http://www.therockstarga...HARTS-UP.aspx#post407243 It's pretty in depth and uses a scale of 0-15 out of 15 for obvious reasons. If anybody wants to step up to the plate, PM me. Since it's an album review, I'll return the favor of the same or 2 singles.