BLACK VINYL

Actual Life offers a glimpse into how Fred sees – or rather, how he hears – the world, and the people who bring it to life around him. He doesn’t write about experiences; he takes experiences and turns them into songs. This will be Fred’s first ever physical release of his debut album, on a 12” vinyl.

Over the past five years, he’s brought this inescapable charisma to his work with everyone from FKA twigs to Stefflon Don, BTS, Jayda G, Romy, and Burna Boy. His work helped draw UK drill rapper Headie One out of his comfort zone, on the pair’s collaborative mixtape GANG, to dazzling effect. In 2019, he spent 15 weeks (just shy of 30%) of the year at number one in the charts.

However, Fred’s own spontaneous, spooling solo project, Actual Life, took on a heavier, deeply personal significance. Collating sounds and making songs with no real aim or end goal other than making music and experimenting with this new way of working, Fred was pouring everyday joy and love into these songs. But the spiralling illness of a close friend gave his project a new focus. And, with huge and unexpected tragedy, gave the project an end date too. Loss and pain are a part of life, so they became a part of Actual Life too.

A1        April 14 2020
A2        Kyle (I Found You)
A3        Dermot (See Yourself In My Eyes)
A4        Yasminah (See Your Face Again)
A5        Hackney (Interlude)
A6        Julia (Deep Diving)
A7        Adam (Interlude)
A8        Me (Heavy)
A9        Big Hen (Steal My Joy)
B1        Marnie (Wish I Had U)
B2        Sabrina (I Am A Party)
B3        Lydia (Please Make It Better)
B4        Carlos (Make It Thru)
B5        Angie (Interlude)
B6        Angie (I've Been Lost)
B7        December 17 2020
B8        Marea (We've Lost Dancing)