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Fred Everything – Love, Care, Kindness & Hope

One day early in the global lockdown, Frédéric Blais scribbled four words on a Post-It note and pinned it up in his studio. When he headed to a studio in the mountains north of Montreal to start work on his fifth album as Fred Everything, those words went with him. They would not only provide inspiration during two weeks of isolated music-making, but ultimately provide the subsequent album with its title: Love, Care, Kindness and Hope.

Those sentiments – a positive mantra during a period of personal and collective vulnerability and isolation – resonate throughout the album, a gorgeously warm and beautiful affair that counts as Blais’s most personal, musically expansive, mature and sonically detailed set to date.

While each of the tracks began as a rough sketch laid down during Blais’ retreat, they evolved considerably over the months that followed. Blais reached out to a handful of carefully selected guest vocalists and collaborators, including Stereo MC’s, Robert Owens, Sapele, James Alexander Bright, Wayne Tennant, string arranger Pete Whitfield and multi-instrumentalist Finn Peters. He also lent his voice to several tracks, a first in a career that stretches back to the 1990s.

The results are magical, with Blais not only offering subtle variations on his own trademark deep house sound, but also nods to complimentary music styles and classic electronic albums from the late ‘90s and early 2000s.

There are standout tracks everywhere you turn, from the sunrise-ready shuffle ‘Hope Is On The Horizon’, where Peters’ flutes rub shoulders with Blais’ whispered vocals, and the house retro-futurism of ‘Evening Ghost’, to the excellent ‘80s boogie/deep house fusion of ‘Moonrise’ and the softly spun wonder of ‘Something For You’, a tribute to his wife Cheryl, where Blais’ eyes-closed vocals spar with Peters’ awe-inspiring horn section.

Naturally, much focus will fall on the album’s high-profile guests, whose contributions work perfectly with Blais’ cultured dancefloor electronica and soul-soaked broken house grooves. Robert Owens – “the voice of house” himself – expertly delivers lyrics full of compassion and reassurance on recent single ‘Never’, Sapele infuses ‘A Long Time Coming’ with lashings of soulful spirituality, and UK hip-hop/soul legends Stereo MC’s make their presence felt on the subtly Latin-infused dub house excellence of ‘Soul Love’.

Then there’s ‘Breathe’, where UK singer-songwriter James Alexander Bright and backing vocalist Wayne Tennant rise above punchy broken house beats, Blais’ trademark square-wave bass and Pete Whitfield’s swelling strings on ‘Breathe’. By the time kaleidoscopic, sun-down breakbeat brilliance of ‘A Good Day’ arrives to draw proceedings to a close, you’ll be overflowing with Blais’ “love, care, kindness and hope” – just as he intended.

Matt Anniss (Join The Future)

“Immaculate production as you would expect from Fred. Everything is in the right place and on headphones this feels like an immersive and widescreen experience! Favourite tracks are Something For You with its cross rhythm horn parts and Asolee which goes on a deep dive into Kieran Hebden/Sam Shepherd territory. But lots to love all over this album. Well done Fred!”
Jimpster (Freerange)

“Fred Everything’s work continues to mature and evolve, although the core musical values of his latest album have not changed since his earliest productions over 20 years ago. He has a knack of bringing in outside collaborators, without their personalities overpowering his music. It still sounds like an FE album: fresh, funky and always (importantly) soulful.”
Bill Brewster (Last Night A DJ Save My Life, DJ History)

“When we hear the name Fred Everything, we know we’re in for a journey of genuine quality. On this album in particular, Fred has flown steps ahead, deeper into songwriting, characterful musical arrangements and detailed sound design. This is a real treat for everyone into deep electronic-soul; and an even bigger treat for us studio nerds!”
Atjazz (Atjazz Record Company)

“Fred Everything has always been a producer and a DJ that i admired. His new album is fantastic, showcasing his trademark deep house side plus some tasty slower beats as well. Tight production as always, with a lot of soul. Love this!”
Rainer Truby (Compost Records)