Fredfades and his ability to capture a tangible mood through his productions has touched a fair few of our favourite records over the past two years. Wether he’s working with Kristoffer Eikrem as part of the Jazz Cats project or assisting on production duties for a member of the Mutual Intentions crew, Fredfades’ productions are immediately recognisable for their dusty charm and soulful inclinations. Music with the personality of a rare 7″ found amongst cobwebs in old second hand stores are brought into the present through the contemporary voices of peers like Ivan Avenue and Yogisoul where Fred’s music flits between grey areas amongst Jazz, Hip Hop and Nuo-Soul.
Warmth, his first fully realised solo work perpetuates the Fredfades sonic aesthetic, calling on an infallible list of voices to bring that human dimension to staccato arrangements where Fender Rhodes chords and synth melodies bounce off lethargic break-beat rhythms. A healthy dose of surface noise and needles clipping against tiny scratches on vinyl bring a healthy dose of colour and personality to the record, where they bound with life. Was it John Peel that said: “Life has surface noise”? Well Warmth certainly has that idea of living life engraved in its grooves.
With bars from guests rappers like MoRuf, MoShadee, Chester Watson and of course Ivan Ave encouching on everyday living and the soft dream-like vocal hooks from voices like Nanna B, Fredfades captures a feeling somewhere between sorrow and the changing of the seasons. There’s a sense of sweet reverie to the pieces, like being pushed slowly on a hammock by indifferent sound waves, trying to make sense of this improbable life. It’s going to be a welcomed companion on our record shelf this summer, with Fredfades yet again setting the tone for new underground beat music in Norway and beyond.
* Pick up your copy at King Underground or at the upcoming Mutual Intentions showcase for Musikkfest Oslo.