- The Fred again.. banger-industrial complex grows ever more powerful.
- If there's anyone aside from Fred again.. who can reliably produce bangers with a big drop, bigger bassline and a savvy vocal sample, it's UK duo Overmono. The three producers came together for an instantly sold-out pop-up show at New York's Knockdown Center earlier this month, then appeared on The Lot Radio with Lil Yachty, leaving a trail of hype in their wake. The guest feature from rapper, singer and producer Yachty seems apt given his interest in this corner of electronic music: he recently announced an album with James Blake. While "stayinit" is certainly no slouch of a song, it smells of clever marketing. It's a massive track that might as well have been put together by interlocking parts from each producer's most recognisable tics.
Fred again.. loves a bit of drama in his music, and "stayinit," which careens from quivering verses to wild choruses, has a typically maudlin hook about hanging in there. The words are vague ("You've got a life / Stay in it") and slightly mismatched to the track, whose rollicking, Overmono-style choruses beg for something much more triumphant. Where a track like the blockbuster Skrillex and Flowdan collaboration "Rumble" was electric and unpredictable—the good side of too many cooks in the kitchen—"stayinit" feels like one too many record label execs in the room, trying to capture spontaneity and ending up with the equivalent of sparkling CBD water. The intent is there, but its actual effect is debatable. But hey, at least it tastes nice.