Sydney Soul Meets Byron Spirit as Pro Uno Returns
Floods, Funk and Fresh Beginnings: Pro Uno's Soulful Return With Baby Blue
After floods, mould-infested rehearsal rooms and years spent hauling recording gear across Sydney, Australian retro soul outfit Pro Uno is back with a new album, a fresh Byron Bay connection and a renewed sense of optimism.
Fronted by singer, songwriter and producer Liam Stacey, Pro Uno blends psychedelic soul, vintage R&B, indie pop and funk into a sound that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly modern. Drawing inspiration from artists including Curtis Mayfield, Bill Withers, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and The Beatles, Stacey describes the project as music for “old souls and the young at heart”.
The roots of Pro Uno stretch back to Sydney's Inner West, where Stacey recorded much of the band's acclaimed album Sunny Day from his bedroom studio just metres from busy train lines. Producing, mixing and mastering the project himself, he crafted tracks such as Never Gonna Stop before severe flooding brought production to an abrupt halt.
What followed was a journey through a series of temporary recording spaces, including a mould-ridden rehearsal room in Manly, where Stacey continued working while transporting his oversized computer setup and collection of vintage preamps from one location to another.
The album was eventually completed at the iconic Wonderland Avenue studio in Tamarama, a creative space that has helped shape the sound of artists including Royel Otis, Genesis Owusu and The Potbelleez.
Now, Pro Uno is entering a new chapter in the Northern Rivers.
Working alongside Mullumbimby local and fellow co-founder of Sydney collective The Regime, Ziggy Tockuss, Stacey recently established a new analogue recording headquarters in Byron Bay. In a twist familiar to many locals, that space was also impacted by flooding, leaving the search for a new home studio underway.
Despite the setbacks, the music continues to flow.
Pro Uno's latest single, Four Letter Word, was released on 8 June 2026 and serves as the first taste of the forthcoming album Baby Blue. A second single, Jelly Roll, is set to follow on 8 July.
The project also features a growing Northern Rivers connection, with local musicians Liam Flanagan on bass, Brendan Drinkwater on drums, Conor Alexander on the piano and organ and percussionist Cristian Silva contributing throughout the upcoming album.
A Love Letter to Classic Soul
Inspired by the songwriting traditions of Curtis Mayfield and Bill Withers while incorporating contemporary pop influences, Four Letter Word is a warm, groove-driven exploration of love, connection and human experience.
The track showcases Pro Uno's signature blend of rich instrumentation, layered harmonies and vintage production techniques. Strings, horn arrangements, dreamy flutes and infectious basslines combine to create a sound reminiscent of the golden era of soul music.
Recorded to 1960s quarter-inch tape and tracked through a vintage Yamaha 1516 console, the single embraces analogue warmth and authenticity at a time when much of modern music is created entirely in the digital realm.
As with all Pro Uno releases, Stacey handled the production, mixing and mastering himself.
The result is a track that feels timeless - soulful, psychedelic and deeply human - before taking an unexpected funky turn in its closing moments.
Back to the Stage
Following a hiatus after appearing at Tasmania's Party In The Paddock festival in 2024, Pro Uno is preparing for a return to live performance.
Touring plans are currently being developed around the release of Baby Blue and its accompanying singles, with fans able to expect the band's signature blend of soulful grooves, psychedelic textures and infectious energy when it returns to the stage.
For Stacey, the journey has been anything but straightforward. Yet through floods, studio relocations and years of persistence, Pro Uno has emerged with a sound that feels more fully realised than ever.
And if Four Letter Word is any indication, the next chapter is shaping up to be well worth the wait.