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Album reviews Music

Frigs

Toronto four-piece Frigs had already started to make a name for themselves as the Dirty Frigs, and fans of their former incarnation will instantly recognize Bria Salmena’s expressive lead vocals. The band’s earlier work combined twangy Link Wray-influenced guitars with post-punk noise and dissonance, but their Slush EP moves the emphasis from 50s-inspired sounds to the 80s. 

Heavy use of a frosty chorus effect on the guitars recalls some of the Smiths’ and the Cure’s sparkling textures, while feedback and distortion reveal a debt to 90s grunge. Salmena’s layered vocals often bring to mind the brassy tone of T. Rex’s Marc Bolan, but she also steps easily into a Joan Jett snarl or a PJ Harveyesque anguished wail.

The band recorded the EP by themselves in their apartment, and evocative atmosphere comes through via fragments of background noise, along with some deliberately odd edits. Despite the home recording approach, the production is a lot more polished and clean than their earlier work, allowing subtle details to be heard.

Frigs sound most comfortable when settling into a gloomy mid-tempo dirge, and the generous amount of space they leave in those types of songs make them good vehicles for Salmena’s voice. But their more uptempo songs often leave a bigger impression due to tighter arrangements and a greater focus on hooks. 

Frigs still seem to be refining their identity despite having a distinctive sound that’s both raw and accessible. They already excel at moodiness, and this exploration of a more assertive side is a promising hint at what’s to come on their full-length debut. 

Top track: Diana

Frigs play the Time Festival at Fort York on August 6. See listing.

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