Fat Freddy’s Drop hit the ground running with new studio album SLO MO, a bass-heavy blast of resolution. Renowned worldwide for euphoric live shows, the Aotearoa band stepped inside their BAYS studio in Wellington, sunup to sundown, to craft a sixth studio album.
Freddy’s beatmaker, Fitchie describes the heady mix as “Afro rhythmic soul music, an exploration of Black music from Polynesia”.
The nine track full length album drops today on double vinyl, opening the door for SLO MO to be experienced as a body of work curated as Freddys intended, on a format the band has always championed.
“SLO MO is the strongest studio representation yet of a Freddy’s live show” says saxophonist Chopper Reeds. “It captures the undefinable Freddy’s sound. Usually we take the stage to the studio and this time, we’re excited about taking our studio creation on to the stage”.
SLO MO kicks off with Avengers, a tune originally captured on LOCK-IN live album, now reworked and extended. Title track ‘Slo Mo‘ is a funky jam with Aotearoa singer Louis Baker on the soul outro. ‘Next Stop’ is a soul-soaked salve that lifts you up, featuring Freddy’s toastmaster MC Slave with a fresh verse, ‘Stand Straight‘ keeps the light shining, ‘Oldemos‘ is a cinematic desert ride, ‘Out To Sea‘ raises the tempo with a drifting electro beat, ‘Roland‘ instrumental celebrates horns and distorted electronic rhythms, ‘Getting Late‘ gives a serious bass heavy slap while ‘I Don’t Want To See You‘ slips into heavy synth vibes and dub echoes.
Chopper Reeds continues, “Towards the latter part of the record, Joe Dukie’s vocal presence becomes quite spectral allowing listeners to inject themselves into the music”.
The evocative cover art is by Aotearoa artist Dan Tippett, who describes the image as “an ancient ngahere (forest) in a Jurassic Aotearoa dreamtime.”
Celebrating the vinyl first release, Fat Freddy’s Drop is hosting drop-the-needle events at Real Groovy Records in Auckland, Slow Boat Records, Wellington and Leigh Sawmill, Leigh. These are opportunities for the band to DJ and share music off SLO MO vinyl, and meet and greet local fans.
Fat Freddy’s Drop head off on a massive EU/UK winter tour through Nov/Dec, taking the new tunes on the road before returning for a high energy SLO MO summer tour across the motu in 2025.
The SLO MO summer tour features an impressive roster of special guests, and every show is different with appearances by The Teskey Brothers, Coterie, Rubi Du, and TOI, alongside support acts Logg Cabin, AJ Honeysuckle, and Rehekōrero.
The tour hits Brewtown in Upper Hutt, Lilyworld at Go Media Stadium in Auckland, a double-header at Neudorf Vineyards with the first night already SOLD OUT and Tōmoana Showgrounds in Hastings. The tour finishes with a performance at Electric Avenue Festival in Christchurch.
Fat Freddy’s Drop SLO MO Tracklisting:
2LP Tracklisting:
A1. Avengers
A2. Slo Mo
B1. Next Stop feat MC Slave
B2. Stand Straight
C1. Oldemos
C2. Out To Sea
C3. Roland
D1. Getting Late
D2. I Don’t Wanna See You
CD & Digital Tracklisting:
1. Avengers
2. Slo Mo
3. Next Stop feat MC Slave
4. Stand Straight
5. Oldemos
6. Out To Sea
7. Roland
8. Getting Late
9. I Don’t Wanna See You
Fat Freddy’s Drop online:
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