Fred again.. - ten days

The past few years have seen a stratospheric rise for Fred again.. as he has taken underground dance music to newfound levels of success all the way up to headlining the main stage at Reading & Leeds. He’s done it by making some very smart decisions and catching some lucky breaks, but ultimately by being really actually very good at what he does. What he does is make the kind of insidious pop dance hooks that pull you in and refuse to let go until you just blissfully submit to the sounds.

‘Ten Days’ is Fred’s fourth album and perhaps his first as a real global superstar. The formula remains, but it’s immaculately crafted with his ear for a hook sharper than ever. You’ll Immediately recognise the hits here even if you don’t know your Fred again.. from your Fred Flintstone. Some detractors might claim this is ultra baseline simple dance music from the Stone Age, but that does a disservice to the emotion and depth of feeling he imbues these songs with alongside some diverse and perfectly employed guests like Sampha’s heartstopping vocals on the rousing ‘fearless’ while SOAK’s spoken word feature on ‘just stand there’ is utterly compelling.

The cast of guests is quite staggering, really; you would never have imagined the biggest dance artist in the country's major new album would feature country legend Emmylou Harris but the weird country house pop hybrid ‘where will I be’ is a stunning moment that is indicative of the range of Fred again’s appeal. Equally special is closing track ‘backseat’ featuring The Japanese House and Scott Hardkiss, which ends the album on a stirringly evocative note. Fred again.. isn’t here to just start the party, he’s also going to give you a lovely warm embrace at the same time.