Fred again.. Ends Summer on a High Note With ‘ten days’
Life has always been at the center of Fred again..’s expressive dance music. From cathartic, blurry nights out spent in the arms of friends and strangers to wistful undertones of solitary moments of reflection, his series of Actual Life albums transformed snippets of the human experience into moving, figuratively and literally, tracks to rally behind and lose yourself to. This sentiment carries through in his latest striking project, ten days.
ten days is practically bursting at the seams with unbridled joy. Taking its name from a repeated lyric in the previously-released Jim Legxacy and Jozzy-assisted single, the 20-track effort sees the breakout artist, producer, and DJ craft living, breathing series of soundscapes that leverage everything he’s gleaned over the past few years, both technically and spiritually. The highs here are higher than ever before without ever feeling overly gratuitous, the emotional upheavals feel well more deserved and nuanced than ever.
While 20 tracks may seem daunting at first, a large portion of the tracks are essentially interludes that lay the framework for what’s to come. It’s a simple yet beautiful piece of purposeful sound design that builds a world out of each of these tracks Fred again.. has poured his very being into.
As is often the case, it’s difficult to pick a standout, or standouts for that matter, on a Fred again.. project. There are the warmed and welcomed “adore u,” “places to be,” and aforementioned “ten” but fans are sure to fall in love with the angelic vocal work on “fear less,” featuring Sampha, the hypnotic chord progressions of the SOAK-assisted “just stand there,” and the closing track “Backseat,” featuring The Japanese House.
Ten days feels like a woefully insignificant amount of time in the grand scheme of things, but comparing it to Fred again..’s own artistic journey over the last few years—from playing secret pop-up shows in Chinese restaurants and food trucks to headlining Coachella and playing some of the largest venues the world over—it’s often less about the time itself but the voices, sounds, and sights we take on the journey along with us.
Listen to ten days below:
