Fred Abong’s current album ‘Blindness’ is a bleak affair, but it’s the kind of record that fans of semi lo-fi material will eventually love. Despite being full of low key arrangements, the record’s best songs come with a surprising amount of texture, and a few plays uncovers a variety of dark soundscape that show off Abong’s DIY sound with a genuine strength.
Perry Blake’s ‘Death of A Society Girl’ originally came out back in 2022, but the single is being promoted again as the flagship album of the same name. Moochin’ About Records clearly know they’re in possession of something interesting, but also seem aware that the track won’t be for everyone, hence the long promo cycle. This is the kind of song that needs time to grow.
Released just seven months after ‘Fear Pageant’, most of Fred Abong’s 2024 album ‘Blindness’ feels as different from its predecessor as ‘Fear Pageant’ had sometimes felt from the slightly slicker ‘Yellowthroat’. On a basic level, it’s great to hear the artist continually evolving, but that becomes more impressive once you consider the relatively lo-fi soundscapes that Abong often favours. A good chunk of this album doesn’t just represent a step forward, but a massive leap sideways into a world of the unexpected.