Over the last few days I’ve been exploring the music of the German Grossover Prog Band Frequency Drift; I stated with their current release Over. On my first few listens I wasn’t to sure about the vocals. The female lead singer’s voice was just a little too high and operatic sounding than I like. What I was sure of was the music,I know I heard some instruments that you don’t normally hear like violin and flutes.Here’ what I read about the band at their website:
Founded in 2007 by keyboarder and mastermind Andreas Hack, Bayreuth-based Frequency Drift now present their fifth studio album Over. When compared to its critically acclaimed predecessors the record shows tremendous progress – yet again. More than ever the instruments are in the center of attention and, in addition to the abovementioned variety, this time there are instrumental exotics such as the duclar, a tin whistle, different harps, a marimba and a wavedrum. Thus Frequency Drift enter an entirely new dimension within the rock-context, elegantly avoid the pitfalls of cliché of the genre and finally create a musical mixture that holds something for everybody, ranging from prog-fans via lovers of world music all the way to listeners of classical works.
This love of experimenting also becomes evident in the fact that, opposed to general customs, the band decided to not have only one single voice on the record. Frequency Drift rather went with a different plan. With the spectacular shooting star Isa Fallenbacher, who appears on the majority of the songs, as well as the jazz-trained Agathe Labus there are no less than two singers that perform the lyrics that function as the listeners’ keywords – while still leaving space for interpretation.
So after the first or second listen I went back and checked out their release before Over which was Laid to Rest. I will say that I did like the vocals a little more on Laid to Rest. But then I read the complete line-up for Over with the instruments and last night I went back and listened again with the thought that the vocals are just another instrument and I decided that it all comes together and I am totally impressed. Here are the members of the band and the guest musicians that appear on the album:
Sibylle Friz (cello), Andreas Hack (keyboards), Christian Hack (guitar, flute, duclar, wavedrum), Jasper Jöris (gemshorn, marimba), Ulrike Reichel (violin, viola), Tino Schmidt (bass) and Nerissa Schwarz (co-songwriter, acoustic and electric harp) have established a wonderfully fruitful collaboration with RPWL’s Yogi Lang (sound mixing) for this impressive piece of music. With guitar virtuoso Martin Schnella (Flaming Row), Kalle Wallner (RPWL, bass) and drummer Phil Paul Rissettio (Ex-RPWL) three guest musicians have followed Frequency Drift’s call and contributed to what amounts to a truly exceptional artistic experience.
Here’s the band performing “Mermaid” from one of their early albums!