CD Review – Fredrik (Swedish electro-folk)
Flora
The Kora Records
Fredrik is not a group that I instantly liked. In fact, I listened to their second album Trilogi and hated it. This was not a casual dislike; I placed it in my Top 20 Worst Albums Ever pile. So when I received this, their third album, I was pissed. I couldn’t believe that anybody would want to hear another torturous album from this Swedish trio. I put it in and initially, I had the same reaction. The oft-kilter electronic beats along with some haunting vocals interspersed just made me cringe. Then a strange thing happened. Like a metamorphosis, I started actually paying attention to the music. The intricate instrumentation and the carefully-placed vocals were starting to drag me in like the lure of a stripper taking you to the back of the club. You know you shouldn’t go there, but your body has other ideas. I didn’t want to hear this album from Fredrik, but my ears thought differently. By the close of the album, I was ready to press play again. I felt like I was going against my morals, but I just couldn’t help it. So, take a listen for yourself and get pulled into the world of Fredrik.
