Cold Sugar are a pop-duo based near Cardiff in Penarth, South Wales who formed in the autumn of 2015. The duo is Mark Henwood on keyboards, guitars and vocals with Luisa Davey on vocals.
Mark and Luisa recently met on stage in a local production of Hot Mikado, which is a gospel and blues version of the Gilbert and Sullivan classic.
Mark wanted to form a band with a mixture of modern pop sensibilities, 80s pizazz and a gospel feel, which became possible when he met Luisa and Cold Sugar was born.
During the chorus rehearsals for Hot Mikado, Mark was struck by the gospel and blues backing vocals sung in classical alto and soprano parts and realised that this was the sound he was missing for his music.
The debut single from Cold Sugar is called One More Thing and the band describes it as “a bittersweet song. On first listen it sounds like a pop song with a slightly ‘emosh’ (emotional or serious) build up to an upbeat chorus. The song is in fact about dumping someone because you realise it’s all a disaster. The story of the song really takes place in the pre-choruses, e.g. ‘Look at you dressed like birthdays in a bow, look at us dressed like people who don’t go together’ is that sudden realisation that you’re with someone and not suited to each other”.
Cold Sugar’s influences range from modern pop to 80’s including Max Martin, Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato, Peter Svensson, Carly Rae Jenson, Duke Dumont, Cole Porter, Cathy Dennis, Sia Furler and Baccara.
Mark Henwood says. “there was a lot of great 80’s music which influences our sound, especially Arthur Baker and John Robbie’s work with New Order; Subculture and State Of The Nation, but the songs themselves in the 80s were often a bit empty or amateurish when held up against today’s slick, knowing pop”.
Cold Sugar’s latest single One More Thing was produced by Mark Henwood at Groove Place studios in Penarth, Wales and has just been released.
Buy their single on iTunes:
Preview on YouTube
https://youtu.be/yA95r3J320E
Online: Their website is www.coldsugarmusic.com