Mumbai duo CandyFloss has been on something of a run lately, courtesy of an EP ‘Scoop Out The Sun’ that emphasized their laid-back but careful approach to a sound that borders on synthpop with influences from a couple decades earlier. Their new single ‘Persephone’ introduces a minimal side to their whole setup, a quiet outing that does not seem to have much under the hood but does. There is an intimate warmth to everything you hear, and every bit of it seems to have been custom-built to fit the track’s melancholy vibe.

There’s barely anything to pick out of the song than what you hear superficially. There’s a surprisingly high-tempo kick pulse, some warm chords and some vocals to start things off. That’s it. However, the band uses this sparse palette of colour with great care. The vocals are delightfully old-school; classic pop-rock from the 60s and 70s comes instantly to mind. That simplicity and sweet nature of the melodies used works as a great foil against the very quiet instrumentation. Slowly and steadily, elements start to creep into the mix and provide certain shades of colour. Halfway in, a nocturnal and truly fun little synth melody gives the tune some body, but it’s as short-lived as it is entertaining. Then, it all goes back to what was before, albeit with what sounds like some reversed vocals. There’s more fun to be had; the second chorus throws a complete left hook by jumping into half-time and some drums that sound rather industrial. This rounds out the tune in a relatively sudden way, but it doesn’t take away from what ‘Persephone’ offers, which is comfort. And no one’s going to turn their noses up at that.