Frou Frou created an impressive brand of vocal-driven, electronic pop. After the British duo had been collaborating for years without a record deal, the group's debut, Details, was completed for American release on MCA Records in 2002.
Heap and Sigsworth first worked together on Getting Scared from Heap's 1998 solo record, I Megaphone. After completing the promotion for that splendid debut, Heap was ready to begin work on a new project and the two hooked up again as Sigsworth had privately been compiling music specifically for Heap while producing other projects. The first track, conceived by the new, more formal (but as yet unnamed) pairing, eventually turned into Flicks from Details, which is perhaps Frou Frou's most Björk-reminiscent number.
Sigsworth grew up listening to eclectic female artists like Kate Bush, and along with Heap, developed an appreciation for classical music. He has specifically worked with Björk (Homogenic, Vespertine) and Madonna (What It Feels Like For A Girl) among many other significant '90s pop and electronic artists. Far from being the kind of campy moniker one might expect from a more sugary pop outfit, the name Frou Frou was decided upon when Francophile Sigsworth noticed the phrase in a Baudelaire poem. Apparently, when uttered in French, the phrase is meant to approximate the swishing of skirts as they swirl about the legs of comely dancing women, as in a burlesque performance.
Born composers, multi-instrumentalist Heap and studio/sound/producer/musician Sigsworth are credited with many side appearances in support of other artists, especially Sigsworth, who was often used as a bit of a song-fixer. While those aren't bad jobs to have, artists of Frou Frou's caliber need to step out on their own, and while Heap worked as a solo artist for a majority of her career, Sigsworth had never been so strongly identified with any previous project. Instead of relegating the male producer/writer to a barely credited back seat, as often happens with a female-fronted team effort, Frou Frou was conceived and honestly portrayed as a true collaboration, making it significant for its marketing truthfulness if nothing else.
Details has some relatively conventional pop moments like "It's Good to Be in Love", but more experimental cuts like "Only Got One" display a more definitive quality. The true accomplishment of Frou Frou (which is in evidence on just about every track the "band" created) is their uncanny ability to infuse highly manipulated, digitally crafted music with a warmth quite rare in pop and almost unheard of in music so technologically progressive. In the studio, Frou Frou achieved unique sounding beats for Heap's luscious voice via more-than-would-be-expected acoustic and natural instruments. These actual instrumental performances were recorded first, then heavily manipulated in an editing stage, giving the duo their own process and thus, their own sound. This approach made their music lush, dynamic, and more earthy when compared to typical electronic/dance and canned pop.
In November 2017, it was announced that Heap and Sigsworth would be reuniting to tour as Frou Frou in conjunction with an Imogen Heap solo tour in 2018. The duo released a live recording of "Guitar Song" on April 19, 2019. "Guitar Song" is one of two singles not released at the time of the band's initial break-up.
Breathe In
Frou Frou Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And god I'm good at it
I'm so spot on
Chord, shapes in air
Go press that dissonance, if you dare
And you, breathing in
Finesse an innocent
From her partying
And I'm high enough from all the waiting
To ride a wave on your inhaling
And I'm high enough from all the waiting
To ride a wave on your inhaling
'Cause I love you, no
Can't help but love, you know
What part of no don't you understand
I've told you before
To just get off my case
This isn't happening
Stop this now
And I, where was I?
I have to be somewhere
Now where did I put it?
And I'm high enough from all the waiting
To ride a wave on your inhaling
And I'm high enough from all the waiting
To ride a wave on your inhaling
'Cause I love you, no
Can't help but love, you know
Is this it, is it, is this it, yeah is it, no
Is this it, oh, is this it, no, is this it, no, is this it?
Yes, hello we're back, and we're taking calls
Now what was the question?
And I'm high enough from all the waiting
To ride a wave on your inhaling
And I'm high enough from all the waiting
To ride a wave on your inhaling
And I'm high enough from all the waiting
To ride a wave on your inhaling
And I'm high enough from all the waiting
To ride a wave on your inhaling
'Cause I love you, no
Can't help but love, you know
'Cause I love you, no
Can't help but love, you know
'Cause I love you, no
Can't help but love, you know
The song "Breathe In" by Frou Frou can be interpreted in different ways. On the surface, the chorus implies a deep and undeniable love for someone, even though the singer tries to convince themselves otherwise. They are so high on waiting for this person that they feel they could ride a wave on their inhaling. They are so drawn to this person that they seem to be struggling with maintaining a balance between their love and potential rejection, hence the conflict between "Is this it?" and "Stop this now."
In the verses, the singer seems to have some sort of psychic ability to read and understand the person they are in love with. They express their confidence in their perception and their capacity to predict the other person's behavior musically as the air shapes chords all around them. However, the singer also portrays some sort of fear or reservation around being with this person as evidenced by the line "stop this now" and their seeming desire to be elsewhere.
The song's meaning can, therefore, be distilled to the idea that love is not always rational, and it can be difficult to navigate. The singer's contrasting emotions and the effervescent musical backdrop that seems alternately exhilarating and unsettled are a representation of the way love can both delight us and make us anxious.
Line by Line Meaning
I read you
I understand you completely
And god I'm good at it
I am very skilled at understanding you
I'm so spot on
I am incredibly accurate
Chord, shapes in air
Musical notes and sounds floating through the atmosphere
Go press that dissonance, if you dare
Challenge yourself to create something beautiful out of the unexpected
And you, breathing in
You are taking a deep breath
Finesse an innocent
Manipulate someone who is naive or inexperienced
From her partying
Take advantage of her in a vulnerable state
And I'm high enough from all the waiting
I am feeling euphoric and excited from waiting so long
To ride a wave on your inhaling
I will catch a ride on your breath as you inhale
'Cause I love you, no
I love you, but not because I want to
Can't help but love, you know
I cannot control my feelings for you
What part of no don't you understand
I have made it clear that I am not interested
I've told you before
I have said this previously
To just get off my case
Stop bothering me
This isn't happening
I do not want to be in a relationship or situation with you
Stop this now
Cease your actions immediately
And I, where was I?
I got distracted and lost my train of thought
I have to be somewhere
I have other responsibilities and commitments
Now where did I put it?
I cannot remember where I placed something
Is this it, is it, is this it, yeah is it, no
Am I in the right place or doing the right thing? Yes? No?
Yes, hello we're back, and we're taking calls
We are resuming our program and accepting calls from listeners
Now what was the question?
What do our callers want to ask or discuss?
'Cause I love you, no
I love you, but not because I want to
Can't help but love, you know
I cannot control my feelings for you
And I'm high enough from all the waiting
I am feeling euphoric and excited from waiting so long
To ride a wave on your inhaling
I will catch a ride on your breath as you inhale
'Cause I love you, no
I love you, but not because I want to
Can't help but love, you know
I cannot control my feelings for you
'Cause I love you, no
I love you, but not because I want to
Can't help but love, you know
I cannot control my feelings for you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GUY SIGSWORTH, IMOGEN JENNIFER HEAP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TarotDomina
I read you
And god I'm good at it
I'm so spot on
Chord, shapes in air
Go press that dissonance, if you dare
And you, breathing in
Finesse an innocent
From her partying
And I'm high enough from all the waiting
To ride a wave on your inhaling
And I'm high enough from all the waiting
To ride a wave on your inhaling
'Cause I love you, no
Can't help but love, you know
What part of no don't you understand
I've told you before
To just get off my case
This isn't happening
Stop this now
And I, where was I?
I have to be somewhere
Now where did I put it?
And I'm high enough from all the waiting
To ride a wave on your inhaling
And I'm high enough from all the waiting
To ride a wave on your inhaling
'Cause I love you, no
Can't help but love, you know
Is this it, is it, is this it, yeah is it, no
Is this it, oh, is this it, no, is this it, no, is this it?
Yes, hello we're back, and we're taking calls
Now what was the question?
And I'm high enough from all the waiting
To ride a wave on your inhaling
And I'm high enough from all the waiting
To ride a wave on your inhaling
And I'm high enough from all the waiting
To ride a wave on your inhaling
And I'm high enough from all the waiting
To ride a wave on your inhaling
'Cause I love you, no
Can't help but love, you know
'Cause I love you, no
Can't help but love, you know
'Cause I love you, no
Can't help but love, you know
@sjoelle3335
I am 40 now, but Frou Frou was the soundtrack of my youth. I remember driving in my Camry in San Francisco with my first love listening to this song. Such great memories.
@serineber387
would you mind telling us the story of you and your first love ? i find it so sad when the first isnt the last
@buh2001j
I'm 41 and this is also a soundtrack of my youth. thanks for sharing your memory here
@jonesy250f
This comment reminds me of how old I am compared to how old I feel. Haha
@paintedrow
I miss San Francisco 😢
@NoahBigsby
I now just realized a lot of this music video was filmed in San Francisco.
@edclevel402
Imogen Heap's voice is magical.
@realjoker1568
Only now I realise it's her... (I've never seen frou frou videos until today :-P)
@ArKaneAcrumProductions
i love her voice fr sm
@reo7524
true