The Frixion – ‘Cry, Cry, Cry’ reviewed

❉ Electropop duo serve up a collaboration with Roi Robertson of Mechanical Cabaret.

Having made a return to music with the single To Hell and Back in July, thankfully there hasn’t been too much of a wait for the follow up single from The Frixion. In anticipation of their first full-length, self-titled album for AnalogueTrash due in October, singer-songwriter Gene Serene and producer/keyboard-maestro Lloyd Price serve up a collaboration with Roi Robertson of Mechanical Cabaret with Cry, Cry, Cry, released on 28th August 2020, also via AnalogueTrash.

The duo met and bonded over the internet following the death of their musical hero Prince, and after conversing online for a while began songwriting together. Berlin-based songwriter Gene Serene began putting out her brand of electronic pop in the late 90s and collaborated with numerous acts including S’Express and Chris Lake, culminating in Gene releasing her ambitious debut solo album The Polaris Experience in 2015, a combination of post-punk, synth-pop and science fiction.

UK-based Lloyd Price has been a member and producer with Massive Ego, and has collaborated with Sigue Sigue Sputnik’s Martin Degville. He has also released his own solo instrumental single Polemic in February 2019.


Cry, Cry, Cry takes us further along the journey that both Gene and Lloyd have endured over the last year and the importance on being open about the experiences. Says Gene, “I know these are uncomfortable subjects, but I think it’s healthy to share those emotions in song writing as well. I do find that in our world of social media it’s maintaining appearances or not saying anything, but I am not the kind of person who is scared to wear their heart on their sleeve.

While there is plenty here that is relatable to The Frixion that we already know and love, the song continues to build on the beginnings of 2019’s I Cannot Play These Games, when he duo previously worked alongside Roi.

The track itself is a melodic affair which marries Gene’s ethereal vocals with a strong multi-layered synth accompaniment. Roi’s vocals, which appear later in the track, offer a direct initial contrast to Gene’s and then they do come together in the final verse, they collectively give a unique sense of cohesiveness.

“Cry, Cry, Cry is about being separated from someone you love, it’s impossible!” Gene continues, “I think the lockdown saw a lot of this. We’ve all been there. I originally wrote the song and Lloyd worked on it – but immediately I heard another voice so I asked Roi if he’d like to sing it, he did it really well and it I think it really works.”

“It’s really great to have Roi involved with this new single. He brings his very unique coolness to it, it’s an honour to have him on board.” says Lloyd.

It’s great to have The Frixion back on such strong form, with Cry, Cry, Cry and with the album only a few weeks away.


‘Cry, Cry, Cry’ by The Frixion was released August 28, 2020. Click here to buy [streaming & download] on Bandcamp.

 Ange Chan is a freelance writer, having produced two novels and six volumes of poetry.  She was also prolific contributor in the anthology collection Me and the Starman (now available by Cult Ink on Amazon) and is a lifelong lover of music, having first been published in the 1980s music press. As well as being a frequent contributor to the pop culture website We Are Cult, she is working on her long-standing third novel Champagne Flutes and Pixie Boots.

Become a patron at Patreon!