Fred Again.. Has Mastered DJing in The Twenty-First Century

DJs don’t perform in stadiums. That was the assumption until Fred Again.. sold out the LA Coliseum last June. The LA Coliseum is home to hundreds of historic events, including the 1984 Olympics, the first Dodgers games in LA, multiple Pink Floyd shows, and now my generation’s favorite DJ. Fred Again, The English DJ and producer began releasing remixes and beats in 2019 and has captured the hearts of the electronic music world since. He found popularity on TikTok after releasing a remix of Frank Ocean’s 2017 single “Chanel.” Many people’s TikTok ‘For You Page’ was filled with videos of Fred whirling his hands above his bobbing head as a projection of Frank Ocean played behind him. Those who wanted to learn more about Fred than his lively remixes would learn that he has released multiple albums and has a sound unlike any other DJ today. So far, he has released three full-length solo albums and a collaboration album with legendary producer Brian Eno. Last year Fred headlined Coachella alongside two electronic legends Skrillex and Four Tet, cementing himself as one of the best in his game. 

For all DJs, one of the most important skills is sampling, and no one can replicate Fred’s ear for a sample. Fred’s samples are unlike most. His songs often interpolate recordings of spoken word poetry, and his friends, consisting of themes of love, joy, and pain. Some tracks are a mashup of poetry and a Fred-produced beat while others are a repetition of the same line leading to the beat drop. It’s hard to put into words so I suggest listening to “Kyle (i found you)” and “Angie (i’ve been lost)” to fully understand the structure most of his songs follow.

Fred’s sampling isn’t captivating solely because of its unique approach but also because of how compelling the stories the songs tell. For instance, “Sabrina (i am a party)” takes parts of a spoken word performance by Sabrina Benaim titled Explaining My Depression to My Mother and turns her pain into a dancy expression of Sabrina’s connection with her mother... Not a usual narrative for an electronic song, But Fred has shown again and again how he is no normal DJ. Fred has become one of the most sought-after performers today, as his live shows are the best way to connect with the emotions his work expresses.

In October of 2023, I was lucky enough to see Fred perform at Forest Hills Stadium in New York. A spacious ten-thousand-plus capacity venue might not seem suitable for a DJ, yet Fred made it work. I had seen Steve Lacy at the same venue a few months before and was eager to see how an old tennis court could be turned into an 8 pm rave on a Friday night.

The opener, Joy Anonymous, a house music DJing-duo, began the fun and demonstrated that the horseshoe of silver benches lining the court could get bumping. At exactly 8 pm, Fred walked out, a blushing crystal white smile draped in neon-orange sweats with a 100% cotton black tee. He took a seat behind a mountain of equipment, and sprung into his first big hit, “Kyle (i found you)” The celebration for the weekend had begun. The Wall Street businessmen, the influencers, the students, and the New Jersians like me; united to bask in Fred’s joyous light. 

A few times during the set I looked around the crowd and viewed fewer phones than in any post-COVID concert I’ve attended, thanks to Fred keeping his fans in the moment. In the middle of the set, Fred switched to a tiny 5 by 5-foot stage on the opposite side of the venue, to perform some of the most electrifying songs of the night, “Jungle” and “Rumble” among others. Once he returned to the main stage, Fred sprung into some of my favorites of his including the infamous “Chanel” remix which elevated the night past any expectations. One highlight of the night was when Fred sampled the crowd by recording our noise and then interpolating it into his next song– it was surreal. After 90 minutes of bouncing, hair-shaking, and beaming, Fred closed his set with a mashup of his hits, ending in “Billie (loving arms).” The lyric “Put your loving arms around me” rang round and round until Fred exited the stage. 

Fred’s performance has become an unfair standard for house music and with his recent singles, it appears what he has coming may be his best work. In the past year, Fred has released multiple singles as part of his USB project, headlined multiple festivals, and most recently sold out the LA Coliseum. It’s hard to tell what Fred will do next, just last week he did a surprise pop-up performance at Glastonbury to a few hundred fans; nonetheless, my guess is it will be something that will put a smile on my face.