Always prolific, Fred again.. just delivered his second studio album, “Ten Days.” Said to be a concept album telling the story of, fittingly, ten days during a particularly tumultuous summer, the project taps into exactly what’s made Fred the electronic phenom he currently stands as. Here’s everything you need to know about the latest Fred again project, “Ten.”
Sentimental Framing For Fred Again’s Fourth
As mentioned before, the framing of this LP is as the story of a week and change in Fred’s life, but there’s an additional stylistic twist in how that story is delivered. Each day establishes with a brief interlude, following a “.one,” “.two,” etc. naming convention. Each essentially functions as an extended transition as well, bridging the unique universes of each true track with lush musical gradients. All that said, “Ten” is a much breezier, concise listen than its de jure 20 track duration might indicate.
We begin with “Adore You,” some true red meat for the long-time Fred fans. Built on a pitch-bending chiptune sample, it’s a perfect showcase of the bittersweet sentimental bend he taps into so often. While eminently repayable on its own merits, the track executes some good place setting as it provides a sensible taste of what’s to come. “Ten” is the first big embrace of the early career sentimental house music that Fred again made his name with. It’s extremely nostalgic and melancholy, but in attaining that atmosphere, the UK producer doesn’t subtract driving grooves or captivating development. A particular highlight is the grime-like samples in the background.
Notable Fred Again Collaborators For “Ten Days”
“Just Stand There” plays like a movie soundtrack, Fred pacing with sparse production underneath a spoken world interlude. As with any of Fred again’s projects, it’s hard to necessarily suss out the origins of that prose section; a close friend venting, a written “verse” for this purpose or just a particularly affecting clip the multi-hyphenate stumbled across? Regardless of its origins, the application is certainly touching, and the big break at the midpoint for a piano flourish only enhances that.
“Glow” sees Fred Again reunite with Four Tet and Skrillex. It’s an interesting collaboration for the trio chiefly because you can trace each of their contributions so clearly. Four Tet provides ambient, metronome-like drive to the song and Skrillex bends that foundation for a big room EDM drop towards the middle.
“Where Will I Be” & “I Saw You” are certainly enjoyable in a vacuum, but within the context of this project, may not be all that groundbreaking. Perhaps either’s biggest contribution is just how far they turn the dial down, approaching true ballad status. If that’s not necessarily your speed, the narrative development on those tracks pays off with “Peace You Need,” an embrace of throwback euro dance-pop.
In Sum, Fred Again Doubles Down His Strengths With “Ten Days”
For long-time readers of ours, it calls to mind The xx’s Romy on their 2023 collaboration, “Strong.” Given that song stands as one of his most affecting guest appearances to date, the pastiche of across-the-bond genre is well placed here. That same idea iterates further with the closer, “Backseat,” bringing the album to a finish on a very strong musical note.
Strategically, it marries a heavy dose of energetic instrumentation, applied in meted fashion elsewhere in the tracks, with throwback vocals and a sympathetic undercurrent that truly defines “Ten Days” the whole way through. As one of the biggest names in the genre, you’ll certainly catch a whiff of what Fred again.. provides on “Ten Days” sooner or later. Check out the full thing wherever you stream your music.
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