Concept Albums Are Cool. Fred Again Made Them Cooler.
USB is an album that refuses to finish.
Ronit Singh · 3 min read
Concept albums are very cool, but Fred Again made them cooler.
The core framework of his album "USB" is genuinely crazy. Think of it as an infinite album, or an album that refuses to finish. Fred describes it as a living album, a constantly shifting playlist that resembles a DJ's USB stick full of dependable tracks.
While his earlier "Actual Life" series was filled with blissful reflections on fleeting everyday moments, "USB" is a creative outlet for tracks that simply do not fit into any neat category. Think heavier, more club focused.
"USB002" had its fair share of creativity too. Ten songs played at ten different shows in ten different cities. Each week Fred debuted a new track alongside a performance, with sets regularly welcoming surprise guests like Skepta and Young Thug. The fourth night in London ended with a surprise back to back with Thomas Bangalter, his second live appearance in twenty years.
The infinite album challenges one of music's oldest assumptions, that an album must be complete to be meaningful. Sure, you can criticise the concept as a way to inflate streams, but Fred is actually allowing his tracks to breathe. In an era obsessed with the finished product, that might be the most radical idea of all.