Frida Sundemo – Flashbacks & Futures
(Cosmos Records)
Reviewed by Doug Peters.
While Frida Sundemo may be relatively unknown to the New Zealand music scene, I am hoping with the release of this, her debut album – ‘Flashbacks & Futures’ she will be well on her way to becoming another of the major players in our pop world.
Full name Frida Anna Carina Sundemo, and hailing from Gothenburg, Sweden, Frida released her debut album ‘Dear, Let It Out’ exclusively in Japan in 2010, and its lead single ‘Towers’ became a No.1 radio hit. In 2013 she released her EP ‘Indigo’ to massive critical acclaim from the likes of NME, The Guardian and more, while her followup 2014 EP ‘Lit Up By Neon’, achieved equally great acclaim. In the run up to this album release Frida released a bunch of tracks off Flashbacks & Futures as singles, inspiring even higher praise from the British and U.S. press, tempting us of the superb synth-pop genius that was to come.
Kicking off with a short prelude that instantly transports us, the listener into a world of uprising club beats and synth hits that builds up then drops you seamlessly into the title track ‘Flashbacks & Futures’. Despite the building sense of emergency that the prelude gave us, this track still manages to smack you in the face with sheer synth-pop magnificence, Frida’s voice cutting through the mix like crystal through glass. From there it’s all on as we’re lead through a journey of eclectic-while-still-transcendent pop masterpieces, traversing minimalist synth-pop to huge beautiful orchestration all featuring the, quite frankly, astounding voice of Frida Sundemo. Think Hans Zimmer remixed by Boys Noize, being covered by Shiny Toy Guns and you’re somewhere on the right track to being on the same wavelength as this album. While this may sound like a mess in theory, somehow it all. Just. Works!
Standout tracks include ‘We Are Dreamers’ and ‘It’s OK’ (conveniently placed one after the other as a one-two punch), as well as the beautiful balladry of ‘Circles’. But, realistically while these tracks are great, there really isn’t a low point on this album. If I was forced to pick something at gunpoint I might make mention of ‘Islands’, and only because the male voices in the chorus of the song have an almost jarring modern commercial pop sound that is a stark contrast from the rest of the album.
Another favourite is the final track on the album – a sharp right turn away from the heavy synth and beats laden sound towards a sparser piano, strings and vocals – Regina Spektor covers Rufus Wainwright styled track titled ‘Astronaut’. It manages to both show off Frida Sundemo’s voice while simultaneously stopping you in your tracks and letting you know that this is the end and it’s time to flip that record and start all over again!
This is, quite simply, the album of the year for me so far – and it’s going to have to take a very special album indeed to knock this one off that pedestal!
