Frequency Control Centre - Somewhere Boy

Released: March 13

Following up from last year's Analogs of Traces, Paul Ledbrook of Frequency Control Centre's newest EP takes things in a bit of a different different direction. Well known for his penchant for the early lo-fi downtempo sounds in the vein of acts like Boards of Canada, Ledbrook almost entirely ditches percussion in this release and instead opts for something more ambient and forlorn, even with the slightest touches of melancholy.  

At its core, Somewhere Boy is an incredibly personal story about growing older, watching your own youth fade as you witness your children enjoying theirs. This wistful feeling is reflected heavily in the first three tracks, "Somewhere," "Anywhere," and "Nowhere." Spacious synths sway slowly around in the stereo space, each imbued with a certain sense of analogue nostalgia that feels as if we are watching the home movies of a life lived and memories from long ago. Each small little warble punctuates this feeling impeccably, leading us further along the road we are taking. 

The final track takes the wistful and forlorn vibes we have been entrenched in and caps them off in a beat-driven piece that instills a sense of hope and reassurance that this is nothing to despair over. Rather it is something of a reflection on the nature of life and its path. Thumping kicks meld smoothly with a gently funkified bass line as those sentimental synths wander around us, keeping the vibe going but with a bit of an uplifting compliment.