Though he graduated from the University with an architecture degree in 2009, Billy Hargrove and his band, Super Water Sympathy, are busy constructing synth-pop ballads rather than buildings.

Billy Hargrove and his brother, Clyde Hargrove, formed Super Water Sympathy two years ago. The alumni performed in a band during their time in Baton Rouge and often played local venues. Clyde was keen to form a fresh band after graduation, but Billy said he took some convincing before he was sold on the idea.

“I never thought we’d do the band thing again,” Billy Hargrove said.

Billy Hargrove eventually relented, and the brothers set to work piecing together their now five-piece band. The Hargroves found a drummer in Ryan Robinson but encountered more trouble finding a vocalist.

“The key is finding your vocalist,” Billy Hargrove said. “You’re only as good as your singer.”

Billy Hargrove said he and his bandmates tried on several singers, but none seemed to fit with what they were looking for. Then the bassist’s cousin suggested a former high school classmate as a singer.

“We looked her up on YouTube and stalked her on Facebook,” Hargrove said. “We saw this picture of her with a snake wrapped around her head and knew we had found her.”

Ansley Hughes clicked with the band, and with the final addition of Jason Mills on the keyboard, the crew was ready to churn out tunes. Hargrove said the band created a genre, “water pop,” to describe its music.

“It’s like electronic orchestrated music mixed with angelic organs and a raspy voice,” Hargrove said.

Super Water Sympathy, or SWS, played a show in Atlanta in September 2011 that would prove to be a breakout performance. “It was this freak thing,” Hargrove said of the label reps and talent scouts that took notice of the young band at the gig.

Hargrove said Atlantic Records flew Clyde and Hughes out to New York shortly after to do some songwriting. It was there that Hughes and Clyde Hargrove co-wrote and produced a song, “Chandelier,” which would find its way onto B.o.B’s new album, “Strange Clouds.”

Hargrove said SWS could have kept the song but felt it would be more powerful under B.o.B’s influence. He said the production accomplished enough to get the band noticed regardless.

“We’re not on the outside anymore,” Hargrove said.

On the contrary, the band played the Vans Warped Tour last summer.

“It was like a traveling circus times 10,” Hargrove said.

He said the band acquired a taste for touring and plan to tour Europe in the near future. The synth-pop band is also looking forward to playing South by Southwest next year.

Super Water Sympathy spent June in London recording a new album with producer Cam Blackwood, who has produced the likes of Florence and the Machine and Coldplay. Hargrove said the album will likely be released between spring and summer of next year.

With the increased notoriety comes increased interest from record labels looking to sign the independent act. Hargrove said that’s where his education from the University factors in. He said the communication and organizational skills he learned as a Tiger have helped him to navigate an increasing number of record label inquiries.

While Super Water Sympathy is “label shopping,” Hargrove said he is taking this time to enjoy the band’s current independence.

“Complete control is fun, but definitely hard work,” Hargrove said.