Fridge are one of those bands that defy any categorization. Largely instrumental, they take elements of conventional alternative rock, krautrock, and electronica and work out something that can only be described as Fridge. The Sun is their first new material since 2001's Happiness, a six year break that allowed the trio to integrate new sounds and elements into their already diverse repertoire.
The opening title track sets the mood for the entire album: we're immediately hit with huge, banging, downright funky live drums and chimes mixed in, along with a tiny bit of synths here and there. The percussion gets more krautrock-y on "Clocks," where the irregular click of an analog clock is augmented by shifting drum patterns, and some seriously harsh guitar string abuse. The dissonant opening eventually yields to a much more mellow, conventional middle, mixing conventional art rock guitar with subtle electronic noises.
Not all of the tracks are so focused on the drums, as the 808 pulse of "Comets" takes us back to the 1980s with its synth and piano melodies. "Eyelids," however, is another rocker that with its ramshackle guitar and electronic bleeps calls to mind some of the recent output from The Fall, sans Mark E. Smith's alcohol-induced slurring. Another artist parallel can be felt on "Oram," where after its music box and snare freakout drums, the chaos settles into a distinct jazz influenced groove that feels like a lusher take on some of Squarepusher's work.
Drawing comparisons to other bands is a bit facetious in this case, as Fridge's work stands on its own. While it can be assumed they do reflect some influence from other bands, they are singular in their sound. For all the electronic nuances and technological manipulation, the vibe of a garage band comes through, and the disc just feels like a trio of old schoolmates getting together for fun, and luckily they remembered to turn the DAT on.
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