Interview: San Tropez lose themselves in nostalgia and sonic waves

Mid. Century. Modern.

That’s how San Tropez would describe their sound. The five-piece — comprised of Ralph Nicastro (Wreaths, Aviso Hara, Sparks Fly from a Kiss), Frank Bridges (Magic Mountain, Duochrome, kiaro skuro), Albie Connelly (Angular Brothers, Stuntcocks, Urchins), Andy Fountas (Magic Mountain, The Border States, Duochrome), and Phil Pirri (Blaa Fugl) — lose themselves in waves of sound with their new song. “Baby Bells” rises and falls like the tides, a sonic journey of great pleasure.

It’s an “attempt to bottle the feeling of a fading memory — soft, hazy, and just out of reach. It’s a synth pop anthem wrapped in reverb and warmth, meant to feel like a sunset drive through your own nostalgia,” the band says. As the second single to their forthcoming second album, Museum of Modern History, it tingles the senses in every possible way. There’s no escaping it. Images fly by their open windows, the highway rolling past their tires with ferocious speed. “Baby Bells” emits static electricity that makes its shocking path up the spine and into the eardrums.

Below, the band discusses fading memories, mood over narrative, and what’s in store on their new album.

How much is the “fading memory” aspect of the song ripped from your lives?

It’s definitely personal. We’re all in our 50s, and we grew up with a shared cultural backdrop — a lot of that filters into how we write and play, especially when it comes to music. Those echoes from the past naturally surface in a song like “Baby Bells.”

What are those music-related memories that have stuck with you most?

It’s more than just memories — it feels embedded in our DNA. Decades of listening, playing, and absorbing sound have shaped a kind of collective musical subconscious. It’s not always a conscious reference; it’s just there when we create.

What makes this the perfect second single for the album?

We knew early on which three songs would be the singles — the question was about order. “Swear Off the Sunshine” is expansive and captures the broader San Tropez palette. “Baby Bells” felt like the right next step: shorter, more immediate, a poppier window into the record. The third single will lean more into the rock side.

Why did you focus on mood over narrative for this?

That’s how most of our songs begin — with mood. If a narrative emerges, it’s often after the emotional tone is set. For us, the vibe always leads.

What led you to expand your sound with this second album?

Our first release, Maybe Tomorrow, was actually three EPs assembled into one album — it was pieced together over time. With Museum of Modern History, everything came from a single recording process, which allowed us to push ourselves and be more deliberate about shaping a cohesive sound. So “expanding” really meant leaning deeper into craft.

What was the process for this song — did it come together pretty easily, or was it like threading a needle?

A bit of both. We’d messed around with “Baby Bells” during the Maybe Tomorrow sessions, but it never quite landed, so we shelved it. When we revisited it later with fresh ears, it finally clicked. Sometimes a song just needs to wait for the right moment.

What is the musical scope of the album?

The scope is probably our lifetimes. We didn’t go into San Tropez with a specific sound in mind — we just play what feels natural. The result reflects all the music we’ve carried with us over the years.

With “Baby Bells” not being narrative-driven, what is the approach for the rest of the songs?

It’s the same approach throughout. We let the mood shape the song, and the words rise out of that. The lyrics are often there to echo the atmosphere, not necessarily to tell a straight story.

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