408 Tread Alternative Waters in New Single “Undertow”
Orlando alt rockers 408 will be celebrating the release of their 5th EP Sherbet later this summer (release TBA), but ahead of the drop, they have debuted a music video for the single “Undertow.”
Written during quarantine, “Undertow” is a dark song about being in the state of mixed emotions. “We were all in the state of depression and darkness due to the virus,” says Faroudi. “I was also going through the end of a relationship at the time. We brought the song into Andrew Wade and he perfected it.“
There’s a push-and-pull to the track that almost feels like it’s dragging you under water, but not in a hostile way. More of a gentle coaxing into an alternative world where all emotional turbulence can be calmed for a brief time until the rousing waves of the chorus come crashing back into reality.
Set out to revive the early 2000s pop punk, Faroudi formed 408 in 2017 with Steven Parsons, Jon Jordan, and Jake Cerretani. Since then, the band has blended their punk roots with alternative, shoegaze, hip hop, and even some EDM with producers Andrew Wade and Andy Karpovic.
The name 408 derives from a coming of age moment for Faroudi when he went to college to be a UCF Knight. One of his first experiences was getting on the toll road 408 that overlooked the skyline of Orlando. He also had many days and nights where he was driving and thinking on that road. It had an impact on his development as an adult.