Whether Fridge remains together or not I don't know, but by listening to Adem's "Homesongs," and having been so impressed with Four Tet's two wondrous CDs -the work of Kieran Hebden, first member of Fridge to record on his own- it is clear that their imaginative and diverse brand of post-Rock will continue to yield gems through its members.
Adem, the bassist of the aforementioned band, takes, in this album, a different path than Hebden has. Where Four Tet has stretched and morphed prior Electronica boundaries, bringing cinematic quality to melancholia and a expanded sonic palette, Adem moves closer to Folk, a hushed and intimate vision of what he sees and expects.
Now, to call Folk "hushed and intimate" is hardly a insight, yet Adem's brand of it manages to accomplish something personal and extremely worthwhile. Simplicity is key here, yet simplicity that cannot be confused with timidity nor the absence of emotional depth. Also, there are enough -yet subtle and spare- hints of Electronica to make this album fairly original.
There are no duds here, yet certain songs are remarkable enough to be singled out. "Ringing in My Ear, "Gone Away," "Cut, and "These Are Your Friends" are astounding examples of why "Homesongs" may end up mentioned as one of the best things that comes out this year.
"These Are Your Friends," particularly, shows that this guy may be no fluke. Listen to how the song, unpretentiously develops into a chant -as the chorus grows in passion repeating "everybody needs some help sometime- and seamlessly returns to its soft-sung beginning. It may even remind you of some early Beta Band tunes.
For the sake of situating him someplace along people you may already know, I would compare him to another two young, great new artists, Gravenhurst and Jim Moray. Both of these people share a common interest with Adem by distinguishing their folk leanings with tasteful Electronica, and for creating a mood that I can best describe as "dramatic gentleness."
This is a tender and "wise-beyond-his-years" work. You'll be moved by it.