‘Pressure Moving’: Molly & The Chromatics

Words by Hannah Powell. Images by Cam Hay.

Yo Vocal had a chat with the hip-shaking music makers, Molly & The Chromatics. Talking to front-woman Molly over the phone, she told us all about their recently released debut album, ‘Pressure Moving’.

Released on 26 November, ‘Pressure Moving’ is the band’s first album to date. Hailing from Tamaki-Makarau, Molly & The Chromatics comprises Molly (vocalist, percussionist, and flautist), Tom (synth bass and keys), George (guitar and backing vocals), Olly (drums) and Dan and Jake (trumpet and sax). Following their successful 2018 EP ‘Polymorphic’, the band has truly outdone themselves with this year’s thirteen-track release.

Molly tells me it was two years ago that the band first began work on the album. “We were lucky enough to go to a house in Lake Tawarewa, just outside of Rotorua,” Molly says. 

“We set up our instruments, we were in the studio for a couple of weeks, and just played music for [those] two weeks straight.” With band members sharing feelings of change and uncertainty, even before Covid occurred, a sense of being at a crossroads ignited the idea for the album. ‘Pressure Moving’ took root. Much of the album, due to the pandemic, was written and produced remotely, bringing on new production elements they hadn’t experimented with before. “It was a silver lining in its own little way,” Molly says. 

“It encouraged us to have a slightly different sound and experiment with new stuff.” Exploring emotions of change, instability, fear, and heartbreak, ‘Pressure Moving’ is a thirteen-track narrative of feelings passing through. By the end, think release, freedom, and light.

“[Pressure Moving] is about being able to come through to the other side, knowing there’s a light at the end of the tunnel when shit does hit the fan,” Molly explains.

With a balance of tenderness and groove, there’s a track for all circumstances. I ask Molly to unpack what songs are her favourite. “I actually love ‘Blue Book’,” she replies. 

Moody and weighted, ‘Blue Book’ is about carrying those heavy feelings into nature to reconnect. The band included samples of birds to take you back to clouded mountains and dense bush. 

“I love the way that it builds…the horns come in, and it’s just meaty and delicious, and I love it”.

‘Heartbreak #1’ is another favourite, as is ‘Expectations’, the self-described fun number. “It says exactly what it means,” Molly laughs. ‘SJV’, or ‘Sex, Jazz, Vibes’, gets a special mention too.

I ask what’s behind the title. “[Pressure Moving] is the idea that you can have concentrated feelings, but in time, that pressure does pass,” Molly says. It was hard to sum up a lot of different thoughts into one, she says, but ‘Pressure Moving’ fits tight. Catch the band playing Rhythm and Alps on the 30 December, Rockin Horse on the 5 January, San Fran on the 11 February and Beast of a Feast on 19 February. There’s a flurry of unannounced gigs, too, so keep your eyes peeled.