Genre/Influences: Electro-Industrial, Minimal-Electro.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Behind Frett ishiding Maciek Frett, a Polish artist who you may know from his involvement with Job Karma and 7JK (a collaboration with Matt Howden from Sieben). He’s also organizing festivals in his homeland.

Content: This album is driven by Electronics, which are now pretty minimal and then into Industrial. The songs are meticulously built up, achieved with multiple effects and vocals alternating spooky- and enraged passages. There’re also a few spoken female vocals injecting a cold and sterile touch to the work. The global sphere supporting this work is dark. One of the most Electronic pieces (cf. “Judge”) reminds me a bit of The Klinik. 

+ + + : This debut work sounds as a true revelation, but the artist is not a debutant, but an experienced musician. Maciek Frett brought different influences together, creating a perfect electronic osmosis between Industrial-, Experimental-, Minimal- and even Ambient Electronics. The work sounds mainly retro-like, which is mainly because of the sound treatments (analogue equipment has been used). There’s a great dynamic and bombast emerging from the drum sections, creating a cool contrast with the album’s minimal approach. “Isolation” is for sure the absolute masterpiece from this album.

– – – : There’s just one single song that couldn’t convince me and it unfortunately is the last one.

Conclusion: Frett has accomplished a work appealing for all lovers of early Electro-Industrial and Minimal-Electro music, transposing these influences into a refreshing approach.

Best songs: “Isolation”, “Two Cups”, “The Light”, “Trust”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/maciek.frett

Label: www.ant-zen.com / www.facebook.com/antzen.official

About Frett

Frett is the solo project of Maciek Frett, a musician active on the Wrocław, Poland electronic music scene since the mid-1990s. He is also a member of Job Karma and of 7JK, a collaboration with Sieben’s Matt Howden, and curates the Wrocław Industrial Festival, Wrocław Underwater and Energy Of The Sound, performing and organizing concerts under the Industrial Art brand. According to Discogs, he has also mixed and mastered releases for a number of other Polish acts since 2001.

“The World As A Hologram” was composed, recorded and mixed by Frett at Sunsix Studio in Wrocław between December 2018 and March 2020, with additional vocals from Anna Frett, mastering by Eric Van Wonterghem at Prodam, and release on Ant-Zen on 4 September 2020 in collaboration with Gusstaff Records / Don’t Sit On My Vinyl. Frett went on to release the album “Nottwo” in 2023 and the single “End Beginning” on Ant-Zen in 2024. He appeared on the same festival bill as Liebknecht, Haujobb and Egoist at Energia Dźwięku in Wrocław, according to a 2021 Side-Line interview with the latter act.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Cinematographic, experimental.

Background/Info: 7JK is the fusion between Sieben (7) and Job Karma (JK). This Half British, half Polish formation released the debut album “Anthems Flesh” in 2012. The new opus only features one member from the Job Karma duo. 7JK now is Matt Howden (Sieben) and Maciek Frett (Job Karma).

Content: It’s nearly impossible to define the genre of this album, which consists of Matt Howden on vocals and playing his violin on one side plus Maciek Frett taking care of the electronics on the other. It’s an accessible experiment resulting in some dreamy and poignant songs revealing Matt Howden’s charismatic and passionate vocals.

Some of the songs are driven by a rather slow and sensual cadence, which makes it all very enjoyable. There’s a kind of magic operating between both musicians. Notice by the way that the last song features female guest vocals by Hanna Stubbs.

+ + + : “Ride The Solar Tide” is a beautiful album with a perfect balance between the magic of the violin and the electronics. The down tempo together with the electronic treatments and multiple sound effects are sometimes reminding me a bit of Björk. “Guidance Is Eternal” is a remarkable song in the genre. But I also fully enjoyed the sensuality emerging from “Barry The Astonishing” and especially “Undergrowth”. Matt Howden is a musician who likes to work with other artists, but “Ride The Solar Tide” definitely is one of the most successful albums.

I also have to say a word about the beautiful digipak format revealing a dreamy and somewhat surreal artwork.

– – – : “Ride The Solar Tide” is hard to label and that’s maybe why some people will ignore this little sonic treasure.

Conclusion: Side-projects between artists is always fun, but not as convincing. 7JK must be one of the exceptions to the rule “Ride The Solar Tide” being an accomplished composition featuring many beautiful songs.

Best songs: “Undergrowth”, “Barry The Astonishing”, “Guidance Is Internal”, “Slow Flow Snowflake”, “Starseed”.

Rate: (8).

Band & Label:  http://7jk.eu /www.facebook.com/7JKband

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com