“F.O.M.O” - Tarn PK
Credit: Hammond Visuals
Tarn PK is quietly becoming a name you can’t ignore — not just in the New Zealand indie scene, but anywhere that cares about pop with purpose. With his latest single “F.O.M.O”, he cements himself as the introvert’s answer to existential electro-pop — weaving daily disillusionment into something strangely comforting, danceable, and beautiful.
Let’s be clear: “F.O.M.O” isn’t your standard synthpop earworm. It’s the soundtrack to your midweek spiral, if your midweek spiral came with tasteful arpeggios, lo-fi textures, and a voice that feels like it gets you. It’s the second single from Tarn’s upcoming EP of the same name — due July 2025 — and if this is any indication, the full project is going to sting in the best way possible.
Tarn’s inspiration for this track — the monochrome maze of urban Wellington and the soul-numbing routine of office life — hits hard. You can hear the 9-to-5 fluorescent buzz in the breakbeat, the caffeine-wired restlessness in the synth lines, and the spiraling thoughts in the vocal layering. The verse lyrics are subtle but razor-sharp, capturing the gnawing anxiety of being stuck in one place while the rest of the world scrolls past in highlight reels.
“F.O.M.O” doesn’t yell. It whispers the truth — and somehow that’s even louder.
This isn’t a huge sonic pivot for Tarn PK, but it is a noticeable shift. The production feels tighter, more intentional. There’s a real push-pull at play: warm, layered harmonies set against clean, shimmering electronics. The beat skips just enough to feel alive, and the chorus — it blooms. There’s an emotional release here that hits right in the chest.
Originally conceived as a slow guitar ballad, “F.O.M.O” only really came alive when Tarn cranked up the tempo and threw in that arpeggiated synth pattern. That moment of reinvention? You can feel it in every beat. This track breathes with both melancholy and momentum, which makes it addictively replayable.
Tarn PK has always had a distinctive vocal tone — smooth, slightly hushed, but emotionally resonant. In “F.O.M.O,” it’s like he’s singing directly from your thoughts, delivering lines with a softness that invites you in, but also with just enough punch to keep you alert. It’s intimate without being indulgent. Think James Blake meets Jordan Rakei with a touch of Imogen Heap digital finesse.
What makes “F.O.M.O” land so hard is how unpretentiously it captures something so universal. That feeling of being left behind while everyone else seems to be thriving. Of measuring your worth in timelines and thumbnails. Of wondering if it’s too late, if you missed the wave, or if you were ever on it to begin with.
“Labelling that fear instead of shying away from it felt like an important thing to write about.”
— Tarn PK on writing “F.O.M.O”
And that’s the genius. He names the demon without dramatizing it. Just… holds it up to the light. Lets it shimmer a bit.
Credit: Hammond Visuals
With “Cry Baby” already turning heads (Rolling Stone Australia, Apple Music editorial love, and Spotify playlist spots), and now “F.O.M.O” leveling up the sonic narrative, Tarn PK is clearly not here to coast. He’s building a project with intention, depth, and real emotional arc. This isn’t bedroom pop — this is living room pop, office kitchen pop, thinking-too-hard-on-the-bus pop. In other words: it’s real.
The numbers don’t lie — 2.2M+ total streams, with “Cheap Ecstasy” sitting comfortably at 850k. Also placements with Virgin Music Group and multiple Spotify/Apple Music editorial features.
And yet… none of this feels overly “industry.” It still feels personal.
That’s Tarn PK’s magic: he’s walking the line between polished and personal, between accessible and experimental. He’s not trying to sell you a vibe — he’s inviting you to feel something real. Glitchy, gorgeous, quietly gutting.
“F.O.M.O” is a pulse-check for the modern soul — sleek, subtle, and painfully human. Whether you’re stuck in traffic or staring at spreadsheets wondering where your dreams went, this song will hold your hand and remind you: you’re not alone in this mess.
“F.O.M.O” is available now on all major streaming platforms
