Fred Again.. - Actual Life 3 (Jan 1 - Sept 9 2022) Review
Fred Again..’s Actual Life 3 is his third solo studio album released in October 2022 and it has sort of lived up to the hype gathered after his Boiler Room set. The first time I listened to Fred Again.. was after he was announced for Second Sky and I was hooked. After he released his Boiler Room set he has blown up to insane heights. Then, after Pangbourne House Mafia closed Coachella earlier this year, he blew up even more. He’s got some great songs and I was excited to see what this album had to offer.
“Jan 1st 2022” is the first song of the album. It’s not really a song just a short snippet that makes it sound like you’re listening to the start of some recordings.
In “Eyelar (shutters)” Fred wastes no time hitting you with a thumpy sub-bass. This track serves as the actual introduction of the album and it does a good job of it. Something I enjoy about Fred Again.. is that even though it’s dance music, it almost sounds like it was made for headphones or a more personal type of listening experience.
“Delilah (pull me out of this)” is one of the standout tracks on the whole album. It’s groovy, has a psychedelic rhythm, and has such a great atmosphere.
“Kammy (like i do)” keeps the momentum and energy of “Delilah” going. Once again this song is well produced with a great atmosphere and sense of immersion.
“Berwyn (all that I got is you)” brings the pace down a bit. While it’s not one of my favorites, it’s not bad by any means. The switch-up near the end of the song is interesting.
“Bleu(better with time)” shows the attention to detail and sounds that Fred can create. Pretty good listen.
“Nathan (still breathing)” has excellent instrumentals and production. The backing vocals near the end of the song add another layer to the experience. This one grows on me the more I listen to it.
“Danielle (smile on my face)” is one of the songs that made me excited for the release of this album. It has a great sound palette and is an awesome addition to the album.
“Kelly (end of a nightmare)” keeps the atmospheric soundscape going. I enjoy this song too, as it flows well on the album. The callback to “Delilah (pull me out of this)” is a cool addition. The switch-up on this song is also a cool addition and adds a solid layer to the track.
Mustafa (time to move you) introduces cool sounds that work well within the album’s context. This might not be on the playlist, but if you’re listening to the album as a whole it definitely finds its place.
“Clara (the night is dark)” provides a great thematic consistency where the upbeat groove gives a feeling of optimism reflected in the lyrics. Good song, one to check out.
“Winnie (end of me)” serves as a conclusion by wrapping up the emotional themes brought up throughout the album. The song feels more hopeful and introspective than the others.
“Sept 9th, 2022” bookends the album in a similar way that it started, with a quick snippet of actual life.
This album is pretty good and worth checking out. What I have found is that this album (and his Boiler Room set) acts as a gateway to house and other types of EDM for people who normally don’t listen to it.
7/10 - Good