You will never know the day or the hour when something really strange and exciting arrive at your mailbox. Well, 25th of October shall be remembered as a good day because this is when an email from a band called FROST reached our digital shores. We quickly listened to the music attached and our jaws hit the floor. We never had an experimental electro jazz sent to us before! Experimental music is always tricky to review but we gave our best shot!
Official bio: FROST is a drummer and electronic musician exploring rhythm through process and framework to further understand pattern, texture and connectivity. There are reoccurring themes of minimalism, leftfield techno and post rock, underpinned by the ideology of networked beats. “Perm Octo Clavè Induction Set” is a collection that encompasses 8 songs released as four separate lathe-cut 5” vinyl records with screen printed and laser cut record sleeves. Born out of a fascination of rhythm and the traditions, habits and values that have formed over time, Perm Octo Clavè Induction Set is an examination, deconstruction and reimagining of traditional clavè rhythms.
The man with the drum – Dale Frost
First thing you need to know about the Perm Octo Clavè Induction Set V.4 is that it is a part of a larger collection of songs. The two tracks sent to us – wonderfully titled “00o0o•o0o – Clavè G” and “00o0o•o0o – Clavè H” (please don’t ask us how to pronounce the titles, we have no idea!!) are the last part to be issued and they complete the whole package. Previous volumes, Perm Octo Clavè Induction Set V.1, 2 and 3 were released earlier in the year and each contained two compositions. The whole thing is therefore composed of eight songs, each one with the title of “00o0o•o0o – Clavè” – the only difference between them is the letter so we have Clavè A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H. Uff, I’m glad we have the basic out of the way!
The songs on previous volumes were a bit longer than the ones we received – they were between 3 to 4.5 minutes long. In comparison, Volume 4 is very short, almost 5 minutes long in all, 2 and a half minute per composition on average. Both tracks are also fully instrumental and if the attached PR is correct, were composed using just drum kit. There is a sampler involved when FROST are performing live.
We asked Dale Frost, the main man behind the project what was the inspiration behind those fantastic, jazz, electro, acid EDM tracks and he he said that his main goal was to deconstruct rhythm down to its most minimal form and use the remaining building blocks to create a new network of ideas. Dale wanted to find the order and meaning in his music and this was a good way to feel organised and strong.
Perm Octo Clavè Induction Set V.4cover
The music Dale makes is influenced by Battles, Steve Reich, Dorian Concept, Aphex Twin, The Field, Gold Panda, generally most things on Warp Record according to his own words and those are excellent choices. Despite its weirdness, the cracked, uneven and broken rhythms, the listener can easily find well defined sonic routes to follow. Each song has a unique flavour, unique identity and it moves your body is a different way. It’s quite a journey if you listen to those compositions from A to H – it feels like being on some sort of a Disney World ride that goes through different locations – from Caribbean Island to some futuristic world on another planet to a dark rain forest.
I’m not sure why but Clavè G sounds a bit oriental to me, like bells in the Chinese water gardens. Clavè H reminds me of a steam train rolling majestically into the station and I think this was the original intention of the creator. Both could be on a soundtrack to a crazy Japanese RPG video game or an animated movie.
Absolutely brilliant, bold, wild and original – It does not surprise me to learn that BBC6 Music fell in love with FROST and their songs are often played on the national airwaves.
There is an absolute wealth of amazing new music from every possible genre out there and all you have to do is to look. Fans of post punk will be delighted to know that Dale Frost was part of Benefits. You keep an eye on Benefits and their friends, people. They are in a league of their own and some of the most innovative musical creators we have had a pleasure to listen to. In 20 years, they will be legends on the UK alternative scenes and I hope to see FROST playing the same stages as UNKLE, Aphex Twin or Battles.
Follow FROST online at:
www.instagram.com/dalefrostmusic
www.musicbyfrost.bandcamp.com
https://www.youtube.com/user/musicbyfrost
https://twitter.com/musicbyfrost
https://open.spotify.com/album/2CXqtgI91ArEPIUlUufiFT
Perm Octo Clavè Induction Set V.4 is out since 7th of October.
Rita Dabrowicz
Indieterria 