Having been active around local music circles for the past six years, the debut album from Pillow Pro feels like it’s been a long time coming; however with the release of Forever last Friday, it’s clear that the time spent crafting the album has paid off. Recorded over three years across their homes around Melbourne, Forever serves as a perfect entrance point for the duo, capturing Christobel Elliot and Jude Millis’ sound at its most sophisticated and self-assured.

Across these ten tracks, Pillow Pro blend glowing synths, simmering grooves and evocative hooks, to build an alluring sonic world that’s as immediately imaginative as it is coolly restrained. From the gentle evolution of album opener ‘Lucky’, with its ear-worming synths and restless undercurrent, to the turbulent and expansive ‘Shawdows’, through to the otherworldly combo of tracks ‘Queen Baby’ and ‘Beyond The Rave’ that round out the album on a thrillingly defiant note, it’s a captivating listen from start to finish.

Beneath the album’s spirited performances and mesmerising soundscapes though, there’s a fair amount of emotion weight bubbling, as the duo tackle love, relationships, sexuality and mental health, both with vulnerability and power. To dig a little deeper into Forever, Pillow Pro have kindly peeled back the curtain on the stories that make up the album and walked us through each track.

Lucky

‘Lucky’ is the opening track of Forever. ‘Lucky’ is about taking risks and chances in love, and putting your cards on the table. It’s about accepting the insecurities and vulnerabilities that come with laying your true feelings on the line. But being vulnerable and being at peace with whatever the outcome is, is a strength. She is all about being honest with herself and about how she feels, she won’t let fear overtake her. 'Lucky' inspires us to be honest with ourselves and not let fear overtake us when it comes to love. The production of this song was not finished until Naarm based multimedia artist Endless Prowl (who also made the video for 'Lucky') added some extra personality with that bubbly synth line and palpitating beats.

Crack

'Crack' is about the breaking point after reaching a limit of emotional support. Sometimes it’s difficult to accept that no matter how much you try to help a loved one out of a toxic situation, it’s ultimately up to them to find their own way out. It’s about figuring out how to detach with love and letting go of personal expectations you have for their well being. The reverb soaked, seemingly never ending cyclic outro is a cry of endless hope that they will see the light and come back from the brink where you’ll be waiting.

SOS

'SOS' pleads for freedom from the suffocation of family dysfunction yelling into the abyss and going unheard. It embodies childhood trauma and the way it can lay dormant in the shadows and manifests when you least expect. The vocals express knowing that there is a better, easier way to survive and asking to be shown. Driving bass and sharp synth sounds represent an urgent undercurrent of boiling tension between the need for self autonomy and feeling trapped.

Shadows

We always felt a strong connection to 'Shadows' long before it became the version on the album. When we were collating the songs for the album we just couldn’t bear to leave it out, despite struggling to find vocals which did the instrumental justice. After some distance from the song, and a break up, the line "nothing lasts forever" was front of mind, and from there it grew into what it was always meant to be. 'Shadows' is quintessentially Pillow Pro, soft and strong, gentle and powerful, a harmonious collaboration of two inner worlds.

Hurricane

'Hurricane' is the physical and emotional manifestation of anxiety - sweaty palms, emotional withdrawals and cloudy headed confusion. The breathy vocals, pitch blended synth and mechanical drums represent the build up of tension symptomatic of anxiety, culminating in a breaking point which is, in the aftermath, soothed by supportive and empowering friendships.
 Anxiety is unrelenting, intense and at times, paralysing but 'Hurricane' is ultimately about learning to live with it and setting strong boundaries in order to thrive.

Sex Appeal

'Sex Appeal' very much speaks for itself. The song is an explicit expression and representation of power and sexuality. It’s a sensory exploration of lust and sexual desire. It’s that moment when strong desires take over for that one special someone who makes you feel butterflies in all the right places. The smooth sensual melodies and pulsating high hat moments build up to an ecstatic release of melting surrender.

No Stranger

The sparse beats, haunting melody and opening line of 'No Stranger' “Who do you think you are?” puts relationships with problematic family members and old friends on trial for spouting problematic views which directly undermine your own lived experience. 'No Stranger' is the dialogue in your head encouraging you to build yourself up instead internalising the hurt and letting the haters tear you down.

Fuck w/ You (feat. Slippy Mane)

'Fuck w/ You' explores the push and pull of a relationship that hasn't yet been defined. It’s about the experience of platonic and romantic connections becoming blurred. The song can be interpreted as an invitation or a warning depending on the listener's perspective. We wrote the music for 'Fuck w/ You' together. The ascending velocity of the synth melody throughout, progressively builds tension and creates momentum for the long anticipated encounter, plunging you into the deep end. As we were finalising the vocals, we decided an extra vocal dynamic would make sense with the progression of the song. We wanted anyone featured on our album to be friends, and people that have supported us and we admired Diego's (Slippy Mane) work. We knew his tone and vibe would be the perfect complement to our vocals. We got together to workshop the placement then Diego recorded his final edit with producer Simo Soo.

Queen Baby

'Queen Baby' is an ode to friendship. It was written during a period when we lived together and is about the fallout of a romantic relationship and the support a close friend provides. The lyrics process the pain of a breakup, while detailing the support and soothing affirmations from a close friend. A breakup is traumatic in itself, but 'Queen Baby' explores the pain of watching a friend lose so much of themselves while coming to terms with disillusioned dreams of forever. As with most of the album, 'Queen Baby' was a cathartic process of working through a painful situation together.

Beyond the Rave

'Beyond the Rave' was named after the huge bass line synth setting from our beloved Novation Xiosynth, and the starting point of the production. From there, 'BTR' evolved into a song about betrayal, and disappointment, and ultimately choosing to disengage from the madness. One our first babies together as Pillow Pro, this pop, diva ballad has been remastered for the album, and given a fresh, new life.