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| '80s influences are clear on Frankie Rose's Interstellar |
I didn’t know what to expect when I popped Frankie Rose’s Interstellar into the CD player in the car, but what I got was a great melding of ‘80s electronica and pop with smooth vocals and a modern twist.
Interstellar has a dream-like sound, and if it was played over a scene in a film the scene would be the one where the hero or heroine sees their loved one in a new light, literally - it would involve a flower-filled meadow and dappled sunlight.
The album is a mix of all-out loud tracks and some quieter moments.
The highlight for me was Pair of Wings, which is essentially just a chorus and a verse repeated over a slow, sultry backing track. Its simplicity is what made me fall in love with it, and have it on repeat for journeys to and from work.
Had We Had It is supercharged, and after a quiet few seconds bursts into life. Surprisingly the vocals on the bridge reminded me a little of Enya's Orinoco Flow, which luckily I love. It would have been easy for this album to sound dated. Everyone loves a bit of ‘80s electronica, but I doubt there are many people who would want to listen to a modern artist whose album sounds like it should have been released in the ‘80s.
Luckily, while this album is heavily influenced by the ‘80s (lots of synth), the lyrics, vocals and even the instrumentals have an undeniably fresh twist.
Speaking about the album Frankie says:
“I always have a big picture in mind.
“I knew I wanted a huge sounding record. Big highs, big lows and clean.
There is no fuzz on this record.
“I knew I wanted to make a streamlined, spacious record with big choruses
that sometimes referenced ‘80s pop.”
This is a clean album with big highs and big lows, so Frankie has clearly succeeded in her mission.
Interstellar follows an album released in 2010 by Frankie Rose and the Outs. If her earlier stuff is anywhere near as good as Interstellar, then I need to invest in her back catalogue.
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