Album Review: Frankie Rose - 'Love as Projection'
Frankie Rose’s immersive 5th solo studio album will inevitably transport you to another dimension.
American musician Frankie Rose has been making music for a surprisingly long amount of time now; first arriving onto the scene as a part of various bands in the mid to late noughties before mostly going solo in the 2010s. Her steady and consistent output has garnered her a loyal fan-base of which will surely enjoy her latest record ‘Love as Projection’. Coming in at 10 tracks and 35 minutes long, the album is also highly accessible to newcomers, with its introspections on love as well the dream pop aesthetics sure to have many admirers.
The opening track, ‘16 Ways', works as an excellent tone setter for the rest of the LP. Thematically, Frankie’s slightly nasally vocals admit to the realisation that she may be mistaken on her own feelings and intimacy in her current relationship. Beginning dreamily, it soon undergoes a transition through the driving drum pattern and synths, reminiscent of classic 80s indie pop acts such as New Order, or even modern pop powerhouses like The Weeknd. The following ‘Anything’ is a classic slice of alt-pop, with the simple but effective overlapping chorus of “Anything, anything, any time at all” providing one of the catchiest melodies of the album. ‘Had it wrong’ then takes the album to a much darker space, as Rose questions the integrity of her partner and their relationship. The normally soft production sits alongside distorted bass notes and industrial sound effects to create a slightly unnerving sensation in the listener, taking them to the same space of unease as the singer. This newly bleak tone remains in the first half of the albums last two songs ‘Saltwater Girl’ and ‘Feel Light’, the longest and shortest tracks on the track-list respectively. The former features one of the album's best hooks, the unmistakable and repeated synth line instantly grasping the listener. The surreal lyrics help transport them to another dimension as new layers of instrumentation are gradually added. ‘Feel Light’ keeps you suspended in this new space as the first half of the LP is gently closed out.
The B-sides take a more optimistic approach to proceedings, starting with a bang through ‘DOA’, pulling the listener out from the abyss with its rhythmic drum pattern and driving bassline. The track explodes into life in layered and repetitive chorus, a continued theme in this album, as the intensity and layers of the instrumentals go up a level. Amongst Frankie Rose’s influences Bjork and Kate Bush are clearly at the forefront; ‘DOA’ with its unconventional vocalisations being a great example of the former and the upcoming ‘Sleeping day and night’ of the latter. This song is pure Kate Bush worship, from the inflections in her voice to the drum pattern, beautiful synths and sense of longing in the lyrics. The song tows the line well between derivative and a tribute to the legendary artist, of which there is surely no greater time to be held in the same light as. After this we get “Turning on the radio to Molotov in stereo”, a line that stuck in my head as soon as I first heard it. This dreamy and psychedelic track shows Frankie wishing to isolate herself and her partner from the harsh reality that we inhabit. Juxtaposing this ambition of separation from the world with the various surreal elements of this cut perhaps demonstrates the ultimately unrealistic nature of having such a desire. “Come Back” once again returns to the theme of longing for love, although this song stands out sonically as by far the most danceable tune of the album. Anyone familiar with 80s style dance music would be able to recognise the bright synths and peppy beat here. The flawless execution of these classic dance elements makes for my personal highlight amongst many highs. Frankie sounds us out pleasantly with ‘Song for a Horse’. The lyric “won’t you come with me to a place I have dreamed” essentially summarises the overall mood of the album (especially in the B sides) far better than I ever could.
‘Love as Projection’ really does take you on a journey, thematically and instrumentally. Starting out with Frankie’s concerns over her partner and her relationship, we are brought down into a dark and spacey atmosphere in the A - sides. As we travel through however, we begin to see her optimism resurface. Her love now reassured, we enter into a more dream-like mindspace in the latter end of the album, one where we can live freely from the outside world. I would certainly recommend this album to any one who is a fan of similar artists or enjoys 80s music in general; even if you don’t take away what I took away from the LP, Frankie Roses talent is undeniable and there should be something for everyone to enjoy.
Words by Josh Wilkey
