Froge.mp3 (/frɡ/) is the debut mixtape by Piri & Tommy. Released on 21 October 2022 and on vinyl on 22 April 2023 on Polydor Records, the mixtape contains "Sunlight", previous singles "Soft Spot", "Beachin", "Words", and "On & On", focus track "Say It", and six additional tracks. The album was promoted by both Froge.tour, a nine-date tour, and Froge.tv, a twelve-episode YouTube Shorts series. Critical reception was broadly positive, with Gigwise describing the album as the 45th best album of 2022, NME rating it amongst the twenty best mixtapes and EPs of 2022, and Ellie Dixon rating it as her favourite album of the year. Additionally, the mixtape charted at No. 13 on the UK Dance Albums Chart.

Froge.mp3
Mixtape by
Released21 October 2022
Recorded2020–2022
Length35:46
LabelPolydor
ProducerTommy Villiers
Singles from Froge.mp3
  1. "Soft Spot"
    Released: June 2021
  2. "Beachin"
    Released: January 2022
  3. "Words"
    Released: April 2022
  4. "On & On"
    Released: July 2022

Background

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In 2020, just before the second United Kingdom COVID-19 lockdown,[1] Piri matched on Tinder with Tommy Villiers,[2] a member of the band Porij.[3] A couple of weeks later, one of the band's photographers retweeted one of their photo shoots, prompting her to find his Instagram account and ask him out.[4]: 38:07  At the time, Piri was in a phase of drawing frogs and toads, and they started calling each other 'froge' (/frɡ/) as a nickname.[5] Later, a crocheted frog hat would become part of Piri's signature look.[6] They began writing songs together after they realised that Piri could sing and Villiers could produce, starting with "Sunlight".[7]

Release and promotion

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Each song (in both lyrics and vibe) captures a different point in time of our journey, and the different experiences and emotions we were going through. We really wanted to avoid guiding or limiting ourselves too much during the creative process: we made whatever we felt like, just for fun, and I can definitely feel that energy of us enjoying being creative and with no pressure when listening back. It’s so cool having a collection of tracks to document parts of our lives in that way, like a little time capsule.

—Piri[8]

In June 2021, the pair released "Soft Spot", which went viral on TikTok and Spotify,[9] prompting EMI to sign the pair, re-release the track,[10] and release "Beachin" in January 2022[11] and "Words" in April 2022.[12] Polydor Records later signed them and released "On & On"[13] in July 2022,[14] for which a music video was released that featured Piri ingesting a hallucinogenic frog.[6] Piri & Tommy announced their debut project in September 2022.[8] At the time, the project was intended as a mixtape, rather than an album, as the tracks had been made as singles.[5]

Froge.mp3 was released on 21 October 2022.[15] Promotion for the mixtape included a nine-date tour, Froge.tour, in November 2022.[16] In addition, the pair uploaded a twelve episode YouTube Shorts series, froge.tv, in which Piri and Villiers explained what the album's songs were written about.[17] The mixtape's focus track, "Say It",[18] was added to the Capital Dance playlist.[19] All of the tracks featured Piri on lead vocals, with Villiers providing lead vocals on "Player 2".[20]

Reception

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Any of these tracks would sound perfect at a beach rave, but the lyrics and hooks stick with you, and they stand up to repeated home listens. [...] Fresh, vibrant, and deeper than it might seem on the surface, froge.mp3 is a gem. [sic]

Paul Simpson of AllMusic[21]

Froge.mp3 charted at No. 13 on the UK Dance Albums Chart.[13] Reviews for the album were broadly positive; Finlay Holden of Dork gave it five stars and called it an "air-tight, comprehensive taster of their potential",[15] while Michelangelo Matos of The New Yorker called it "charming".[20] Paul Simpson of AllMusic likened it to PinkPantheress' To Hell with It but with "a more Ibiza-friendly sound".[21]

NME rated it amongst the twenty best mixtapes and EPs of 2022[22] and Gigwise described the album as the 45th best album of 2022.[23] In January 2023, Ellie Dixon stated that Froge.mp3 was her "favourite album" of the year.[24] A more lukewarm review came from Luke Nuttall of The Soundboard Stereo, who felt that little else was of the same standard as "On & On" and that the mixtape's "very light, tactile pop / drum 'n' bass" was "not in any way equipped to convey" some of the lyrics on "Beachin" such as "I got him bussin', he makin' some mayo".[25]

Track listing

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Side one
No.TitleSubjectLength
1."Silver Lining"Entering a long-distance relationship[26]2:34
2."On & On"Their experience at the end of Parklife Festival[a]2:15
3."Soft Spot"Piri's inability to control her feelings for Villiers[29]3:43
4."Settle"Post-breakup disenchantment[30]2:42
5."Words"Communication problems[31]3:10
6."Slowly But Surely"Wondering when to express affection[32]3:06
7."Say It"Being scared to say 'I love you' too early[33]2:58
8."Can We"Struggles to find the right team[34]2:36
9."Easy"Comfort within a relationship[35]3:08
10."Player 2"Villiers' departure from his previous band[36]3:00
11."Beachin"Trip to Formby beach[37]3:15
12."Sunlight"Early dates[38]3:14
Total length:35:46

Personnel

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Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[39]

Musicians

  • Piri – lead vocals
  • Tommy Villiers – vocals (4, 10), mixing (all except 11), mastering (3, 11)
  • Jonny Breakwell – mixing (11)
  • Stuart Hawkes – mastering (all except 3 and 11)

Charts

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Chart performance for Froge.mp3
Chart (2022) Peak
position
UK Dance Albums (OCC)[40] 13

Release history

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Release history for Froge.mp3
Region Date Format Artist Label Ref.
Various 21 October 2022 Piri & Tommy Polydor [41]
22 April 2023 Vinyl [42]

Notes

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  1. ^
    • For it being their first experience at the end of a festival, see [27].
    • For the fact that said festival was Parklife Festival, see [28].

References

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  1. ^ J, Trixie (4 April 2023). "Piri and Tommy Rose from Viral Rookies to UK Dance's Next Big Ace". Nexus Radio. Archived from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  2. ^ Helm, Jake. "Piri and Tommy: meet the rising stars of pop". The Times. Archived from the original on 8 November 2022.
  3. ^ "Best New Artists of the Month (Pigeons & Planes, November 2021)". Complex. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  4. ^ "The Daisy Adams Show w/ Piri and Tommy Villiers 27th October 2021". Reform Radio. Archived from the original on 13 February 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  5. ^ a b "piri & tommy: Student Radio Class of 2023". Retrieved 14 April 2023 – via YouTube.
  6. ^ a b "Hype List 2023: piri & tommy: "You've just got to take one thing at a time"". Dork. 30 November 2022. Archived from the original on 24 January 2023. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  7. ^ "piri & Tommy: Dynamic Duo". Notion. 4 March 2022. Archived from the original on 5 February 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  8. ^ a b Murray, Robin (September 21, 2022). "piri & tommy Announce Debut Project 'froge.mp3' | News". Clash. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  9. ^ "The Zoomer Embrace of Drum 'n' Bass". Pitchfork. 29 October 2021. Archived from the original on 10 March 2023. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
  10. ^ "Piri and Tommy Villiers: ambition and reinvention from vibrant drum 'n' bass duo". NME. December 2021. Archived from the original on 9 December 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  11. ^ "piri & tommy share new single 'beachin' following viral hit 'soft spot' • WithGuitars". www.withguitars.com. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
  12. ^ "piri & tommy share their brand new single 'words' • WithGuitars". www.withguitars.com. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
  13. ^ a b "Piri & Tommy". Official Charts. 17 November 2022. Archived from the original on 17 November 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  14. ^ "piri & tommy launch new single 'on & on' as Radio 1's Hottest Record • WithGuitars". www.withguitars.com. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
  15. ^ a b Holden, Finlay (20 October 2022). "piri & tommy – froge.mp3". Dork. Archived from the original on 17 November 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  16. ^ "piri & tommy have announced their debut project, 'froge.mp3'". Dork. 21 September 2022. Archived from the original on 4 March 2023. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  17. ^ "piri & tommy launch 'froge.tv' YouTube Shorts serie". Withguitars.com. Archived from the original on 3 November 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  18. ^ "piri & tommy release debut project, 'froge.mp3' • WithGuitars". www.withguitars.com. Retrieved 2024-09-28.
  19. ^ "Capital Dance on X: "new playlist is looking 🥵 @subfocus @dimension_uk @johnsummit @thehannahboleyn @tiesto @tatemcrae @I_Skream @jansonsmusic @piri_io_ @villierstommy @hifi_mc @DardanRegard @DjDropG @officialsonique & our JAM HOT 'Feel Like That' by Goddard. & @CharlHaining 🔥"". X. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  20. ^ a b Matos, Michelangelo. "Piri & Tommy: "Froge.mp3"". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
  21. ^ a b "froge.mp3 - piri, piri & tommy, Tommy Villiers | Release Info". AllMusic. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  22. ^ NME (2022-12-13). "The 20 best mixtapes and EPs of 2022". NME. Retrieved 2023-06-20.
  23. ^ "Gigwise's 51 Best Albums Of 2022 | Gigwise". www.gigwise.com. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  24. ^ "WTHB Ones To Watch 2023". When The Horn Blows. 2023-01-12. Retrieved 2024-09-28.
  25. ^ "The Soundboard Stereo: Banshees, Beyoncé & Black Adam". Thesoundboardreviews.com. 27 January 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  26. ^ piri & tommy - silver lining | froge.tv YouTube Shorts Series, retrieved 2023-09-13
  27. ^ "piri and tommy talk collaborating and recording under duvets | MTV UK & IRE PUSH 2023". YouTube. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  28. ^ "piri & tommy Share Joyous New Bumper 'on & on'". Clash Music. 29 July 2022. Archived from the original on 25 May 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  29. ^ Poole, Cameron. "DIY dance duo, piri & Tommy Villiers, are the new kids on the block". 1883. Archived from the original on 17 November 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  30. ^ piri & tommy - settle | froge.tv YouTube Shorts Series, retrieved 2023-09-13
  31. ^ piri & tommy - words | froge.tv YouTube Shorts Series, retrieved 2023-09-13
  32. ^ piri & tommy - slowly but surely | froge.tv YouTube Shorts Series, retrieved 2023-09-13
  33. ^ piri & tommy - say it | froge.tv YouTube Shorts Series, retrieved 2023-09-13
  34. ^ piri & tommy - can we | froge.tv YouTube Shorts Series, retrieved 2023-09-13
  35. ^ piri & tommy - easy | froge.tv YouTube Shorts Series, retrieved 2023-09-13
  36. ^ piri & tommy - player 2 | froge.tv YouTube Shorts Series, retrieved 2023-09-13
  37. ^ "Piri & Tommy Interview: 'Soft Spot' and Tik Tok Strategy! Interview W/ Jasper Hopkins". Unity Radio. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  38. ^ piri & tommy - sunlight | froge.tv YouTube Shorts Series, retrieved 2023-09-13
  39. ^ Piri & Tommy (21 October 2022). froge.mp3 (Media notes). Polydor Records.
  40. ^ "Official Dance Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  41. ^ "Piri & Tommy - Discography". Spotify. Retrieved 2024-09-28.
  42. ^ "froge.mp3". Record Store Day. Archived from the original on 4 March 2023. Retrieved 4 March 2023.