By Andre Paras
Staff Writer
Frederick John Phillip Gibson, known professionally as Fred Again, made himself known in the modern house genre with his various talents, from being a singer-songwriter to one of today’s most talented producers and DJs.
His newest album “ten days” was released on Sept. 6 and is already his second full-length LP effort this year — and the seventh album in his discography that only began four years ago.
Gibson’s distinct cut and sample style drew me to his music, taking existing audio from an array of famous artists’ songs, social media and interviews. He transforms these artists’ existing ideas into a cohesive track, and as a result, creates a collaboration without the artist having to create something new.
Through social media, Gibson has given glimpses into his music, whether he’s teasing a new song or showing off the energy that his live performances bring. Regardless, his Instagram Reels and TikTok videos always highlight how much fun he’s having getting creative — a valuable thing to have as a fan.
Fred Again began releasing his own music in 2020 as an outlet to reflect on the COVID-19 pandemic. Much of his work explores themes of isolation, introspection and vulnerability, despite the danceable beats and high energy. This record is no exception.
“.one” and all of the interludes numbered until “.ten” serve to settle you into the wondrous soundscape Fred has created for this album. They don’t serve much purpose outside of the record, but it’s neat to hear recordings of Fred working, foreshadowings of collaborations later on the record and seamless transitions in and out to the next song.
“adore u” is a bright opening to this record and a nice ode to a little sibling, as featured artist Obongjayar, a Nigerian afrobeat rapper, sings, “I came first, but you’re ahead beyond your years.”
Another featured artist, Jim Legxacy, an experimental pop-rapper, sings the album title’s refrain on “ten.” It’s a bright, lo-fi style track describing waiting on a lover who hasn’t shown. Sonically, it foreshadows the album’s later slowdown, restoring itself immediately back to its danceable sound about halfway through, pitching vocals up and down in the process.
“just stand there” splices up an interview with Irish singer-songwriter SOAK, describing intimate and personal moments of a past relationship. It’s a moment frozen in time, nostalgic for a relationship’s most euphoric high, as SOAK recalls, “It felt like all four seasons happened in one day / And I just stand there, laughing at you / ‘Cause I can’t believe this is real.”
Musically, the album’s development and satisfying breakdown over spoken word alone reminded me of a more modern and downbeat take on “Giorgio by Moroder,” a song from Daft Punk’s 2013 album “Random Access Memories,” as that song features a long monologue on early life and music. Both perfectly illustrate what their narrators communicate in the songs in such a fun and cinematic way.
While this record boasts a well-decorated list of featured artists, Fred also works with fellow notable producers of the genre with the likes of Four Tet, Skrillex, PARISI and more.
Despite my praise, I can still acknowledge the record has its flaws. At times, it is a bit indulgent in track runtimes. The interludes feel a bit gimmicky, but I can respect how they all contribute to the soundscape. All of its highs outweigh the few low moments in the end.
My two favorite collaborations on this record are easily “places to be” with Anderson .Paak, who brings that same energy and charisma he does to Silk Sonic, and “backseat,” which remixes vocal samples from The Japanese House’s “Sunshine Baby” into a song with a new, revamped structure.
Amber Bain of The Japanese House’s vocals fit the latter track very well, and even with “Sunshine Baby” being one of my favorite and most played songs of 2023, Fred Again gives it a refreshing new twist making it feel all new again.
All in all, this is another solid effort to tally up for Fred again, no pun intended. For serious fans, it's definitely something familiar that you’ve heard a decent amount of before. For new fans discovering the multi-talented house music hitmaker, this isn’t a bad start either.
