Pond

Stylistic makeovers are a rule of thumb for Pond. Formed in Perth, Australia in 2008 as an open-door collaboration centered around eventual Tame Impala members Nick Allbrook, Jay Watson and Joe Ryan (who does TI’s visuals), the band broke through in their own right on 2012’s Beard, Wives, Denim, a farm-recorded opus that cleaned up their more experimental impulses for a winking classic-rock vibe. But open jamming and frequent changes in scenery remain essential to Pond’s psych-based sound, even as their glittery sandpit has widened to include funk, disco, glam and other joyful genres. A proper ensemble with members often swapping roles and songwriting duties alike, Pond have a de-facto frontman in Allbrook, whose star-kissed falsetto perfectly suits the increasingly synthesiser-steeped struts heard on albums like 2022’s free-wheeling 9.