The enigmatic Alfreda has once again captivated listeners with her latest single, ‘Frankie’.
Steeped in mystery, laced with old Hollywood glamour, and brimming with quiet confidence, the London-based artist continues to showcase her unique musical vision. Comparable to Lana Del Rey but bringing a psychedelic, 70s tinge comparable to Artic Monkey’s ‘The Car’, the new single and indeed the full upcoming debut EP creates a narrative arc whilst embracing a rich variety of sonic textures.
Opening with gentle beats, swelling of synth and twinkling piano, ‘Frankie’ instantly captures a whimsical edge, characterised the the waltzing beat and vintage production before Alfreda’s smokey, evocative vocals enter. Raw, emotional and echoing the melodic stylings of John Lennon, the tracks first half is gentle and emotive but undergoes an unexpected and brilliantly throughout out switch at the mid point.
Entering a swelling, jazzy, psychedelic breakdown of sporadic noise, like falling into a swirling black hole of colour, evoking the image of Alice’s journey into wonderland, the track soon takes on a new lease of life with a danceable disco beat toped with some radiant vocal melodies. The track captures the essence of lust, obsession, and mistaken identity, as Alfreda weaves a narrative based on a personal experience.
She explains: “Frankie is about the time I fell hard for someone (admittedly I hardly knew him), and then once when we bumped into each other he got my name wrong. I took this anecdote and have developed it into a sound bite where I become this ‘Frankie’. I become someone else and give in to everything I believe men want. Frankie is easy. Frankie is a good time girl. Frankie messes around and doesn’t get hurt.”
Listen below:
