Teresa Xie | April 10, 2023
When Fred again.. first proposed a Tiny Desk concert, it wasn't immediately clear how he was going to make it work — not because he lacked creativity, but because translating purely electronic music at the Desk is a daunting task for anyone. How would an artist, whose performances take the form of DJ sets in front of massive audiences, curate an intimate and unique experience? But what the British songwriter and producer came up with is a reminder of what a Tiny Desk is at its best: an opportunity for artists to challenge themselves in such a way that it almost feels like they're making new music, all while sticking to what feels true to them. For Fred again.. that meant re-learning the marimba, playing the vibraphone, singing at the piano and looping sounds and beats — all at the same time. He began his set with "Kyle (i found you)," recreating the song's melody on the marimba while clips of featured poet Kyle "Guante" Tran Myhre reciting the work "Love In The Time of Undeath" appeared on-screen. Sitting at the piano, he faded the remnants of "Kyle (i found you)" into "Roze (forgive)," which features Fred again.. triggering vocals sampled from the artist I am Roze, whose powerful facial expressions were magnified on a screen.In a surprising pivot, the primary vocals on the following track, "Me (heavy)," came from Fred again.. himself, with no manipulation, creating a vulnerable sense of intimacy in the space. A flurry of looped piano keys marked the transition to "Delilah (pull me out of this)," with guest vocals pulled from pop singer Delilah Montagu's 2021 track "Lost Keys." By his set's end, concluding with "Faisal (envelops me)," Fred again.. was back at the piano finally resting after moving seamlessly through a jam-packed Tiny Desk.
SET LIST
"Kyle (i found you)"
"Roze (forgive)"
"Adam (interlude)"
"Me (heavy)"
"Berwyn (interlude)"
"Delilah (pull me out of this)"
"Faisal (envelops me)"
MUSICIANS
Fred again..: vocals, piano, vibraphone, marimba, electronics
Special thanks to: Guante, I Am Roze (they/them), Aminé, Delilah Montagu, Berwyn, Faisal, Lucy Hickling, Gareth Nunns, Jamie Tinsley, Tony Friend, Tobias Miorin
TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bobby Carter
Director/Editor: Sofia Seidel
Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin
Creative Director: Bob Boilen
Videographers: Sofia Seidel, Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant
Audio Assistant: Kwesi Lee
Production Assistant: Jill Britton
Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Maia Stern, Marissa Lorusso, Hazel Cills, Ashley Pointer, Pilar Galván, Teresa Xie
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann
#nprmusic #tinydesk #fredagain