Fragile Gods, the New York-based dark synthpop project of Frederick Frantz, creates flowing retrosynth tunes with minimal, atmospheric arrangements and unique vocals often backed with rich female harmonies. Their music, sounding as if it came from a cassette from another era, evokes the sounds of classic synthpop and industrial bands.
In 2023, Fragile Gods released their long-awaited full length album, Dark Water. Meticulously crafted over four years, the album features a diverse range of tracks, from the danceable to the surreal. Throughout the album, Frantz's vocals are both emotive and haunting, delivering lyrics that explore dreams, longing, and alienation.
In 2019, Fragile Gods returned with their second EP, Cold Comfort, and a new approach. The poppier elements which were hinted at on the prior release were now more to the front. Frantz's vocals are more melodic and less distorted. However, not all the rough edges have been sanded off as witnessed by "Step Outside the Frame."
The band's 2015 debut The Future Never Came was influenced by the likes of 80s EBM bands Nitzer Ebb and Cabaret Voltaire with occasional synthpop elements surfacing.
Fragile Gods is a band that is constantly evolving, creating a retro-futuristic sound that is both unique and timeless.
Dark Water is available on Bandcamp, Spotify and all streaming services. Links are at the bottom of this page.
Queen City Sounds and Art
Brutal Resonance
Peek-a-Boo
Dark Life Experience
"The song doesn’t get stuck in a dynamic rut and evolves in interesting directions like you’re being lead through a night time urban landscape in the pre-dawn dark to one of the only remaining underground clubs where the music isn’t dictated or shaped by an algorithm and where you can be around like-minded connoisseurs of authentic underground culture."
— Queen City Sounds and Art
"The EP The Future Never Came contains four songs. Opener City Of The Dead sets the tone with dark beats and basses, all enriched with colourful and catchy synths. The strength of this song is definitely the appealing chorus. The tones are stuck in your eardrums and sizzle for hours in your brain afterwards."
— Peek-a-Boo magazine
