Music

Fred again.. Unveils Sample-Heavy, Kaleidoscopic Album ‘Actual Life 3’

Konstantinos Karakolis

Oct 30, 2022 — 2 min read

There’s no doubt that Fred again.. is riding high in a monumental latter half of 2022.

Still buzzing off his debut Boiler Room set, which was conveniently unveiled on the same day as his colossal collaboration with Swedish House Mafia and Future, “Turn On The Lights again..,” Fred again.. has finally unveiled the third installment in his Actual Life album series.

Fully titled Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9 2022), Fred again..’s latest body of work once again showcases his knack for turning his not-so-ordinary experiences into mesmerizing sonic rides. Sampling audio from Instagram posts, live performances and voice notes, the UK musician is an expert at weaving bits and pieces from his life into penchant dance music productions, with Actual Life 3 inviting listeners into his state of mind throughout the past 10 months.

Looking at Fred again..’s monumental rise over the latter half of the year, many would simply identify nothing more than an overnight success. The reality of Fred again..’s explosive entrance within dance music’s upper echelon, however, is much different. Mentored by legendary producer Brian Eno, Fred again.. has experienced colossal success as a songwriter and producer over the past few years, closely working with the likes of Ed Sheeran, and contributing to chart-topping hits such as “Bad Habits” and “I Don’t Care” with Justin Bieber, as well as Clean Bandit’s “Solo” and Rita Ora’s “Let You Love Me.”

Fred again..’s creative prowess as a tastemaker behind-the-scenes is undisputed. He won a BRIT Award for Producer Of The Year back in 2020, and followed that up with GANG, a collaborative drill album with fellow UK rapper Headie One, which featured appearances from FKA Twigs, Jamie xx and Sampha. It was actually Brian Eno who challenged Fred again.. to start releasing original music and put himself forth as a solo artist, which led to his Actual Life album series, the first installment of which was only released 18 months ago.

Anyone who is familiar with Fred again..’s previous solo work, will know what to expect with Actual Life 3: penchant dance music with a hint of UK garage influences and a large emphasis on diverse samples. This is exactly where one of the artist’s greatest strengths lies. One of the album’s most uplifting singles, “Delilah (pull me out of this)” samples a live rendition of musician Delilah Montagu’s song “Lost Keys,” while “Kelly (end of a nightmare)” utilizes “Take Hold Of Me” by New York band Wet.

Things do get even more obscure, however. "Nathan (still breathing)" samples a TikTok video posted by Indiana-based artist Nathan Archie, while lead single “Danielle (smile on my face)" takes on a recording of 070 Shake’s performance of “Nice To Have” in early 2020.

What’s so compelling about Actual Life 3, is the way Fred again.. is able to effortlessly craft a musical journal of sorts; collecting moments and art that inspire him and breathing new life into them by way of his nostalgic, ethereal productions. With the project looking like it’ll be his most successful one to date, as well as a number of collaborations with Skrillex and Four Tet reportedly in the works, Fred again.. is one of 2022’s most eclectic breakout stars, and certainly one to follow into 2023 and beyond.

Listen to Actual Life 3 below: