AMG Review of Imaginary Friends

Jason Lymangrover
All Music Guide

After the departure of core member/primary songwriter the Duke of Pannekoeken, who had duties to tend to at his day job at Harmonix (the game development company behind *Guitar Hero and *Rock Band), Liz Enthusiasm and Sean Drinkwater continued on with new bandmates Robert John "Bananas" Foster and Christmas Disco Marie Sagan. Here, in a more democratic setting, Imaginary Friends takes a live group approach, rather than basing songs around 8-bit sequencing. Of course, with three of the four members playing synthesizers, Freezepop still feels entirely electro-pop, and the music is still the same friendly, hook-filled, retro-dance music that is ideal for headphones. Christmas’ airy voice complements Enthusiasm’s well, as they deal out girlish Debbie Harry-esque disco vocals to Ladytron beats with a Gary Numan vibe. Air is a touchstone here as well, especially on the bouncy “Hot Air Balloons” and the lush and spacy closer “House of Mirrors.” Even though the band is in a transitional phase here, you wouldn’t know it. Freezepop sounds more sophisticated and polished than ever.