Music often has many different purposes. Sometimes, music is meant to send a message, serve as art, or impress an audience. However, music is always used to entertain. Artists like Frequency Drift are able to blend various meanings and purposes together to create a unique musical experience. In their new album, Letters to Maro, Frequency Drift showcases their complex melodies and sound production through their unique blend of progressive and cinematic music.
Frequency Drift consists of a variety of different instruments that really explore the composition of music. For example, one of the key instruments in their lineup is the electric harp. I can’t name any other band or musician that specializes in the harp, let alone the electric harp. As a former percussionist, I have a tendency to pay attention to the drumming, and the drums are a well-implemented base for their songs; the drum fills add beautiful structure to the songs. On top of the drums, some songs, like “Underground,” uses what sounds like a marimba to add another melodic line.
Songs like “Neon,” “Deprivation,” and “Electricity” focus primarily on the elements that make up music. There is concentration on various instruments playing together, each adding a unique touch to the songs. Each instrument works well on their own, but also as a group. Electric harp, bass, piano, guitar, cello, drums, and synths come together to create a composure where no song is quite like the other. Upon listening, it is clear that all the instruments together make the album a captivating work.
Frequency Drift Utilizes New Member Irini Alexia
In addition to their instrumental craft, they use vocals to further their art. Frequency Drift brought in vocalist and lyricist Irini Alexia. Irini’s voice is probably the most noticeable piece of the band’s lineup. Irini is a talented singer with a loud, distinct voice. It pierces through my ears and adds a sort of phantasmic element to Letters to Maro. She resembles Evanescence’s Amy Lee, and has a similar moody, chilling voice. “Dear Maro,” “Escalator,” and “Sleep Paralysis” are great examples of Alexia’s range and lyrical style.
All in all, Letters to Maro is a wonderful, enthralling performance.