FRED – the dynamic multimedia project from Freddie Criales and Tristan Torres of Magnolia Park – have shared two new tracks, “Lëëch” & “Monster” this week. The new pair of singles are teeming with a youthful edge and contagious energy. Listen to them both now below.
“Lëëch” is an infectious alt-pop track that merges emo vulnerability with a highly addictive, up-tempo chorus enriched with acidic lyrics that speak to the lingering bitterness of a relationship gone sour. Balancing bitter confession and irresistible hooks, FRED calls the song “a heartbreak anthem that will have people crying and dancing at the same time.”
Its sister single, “Monster,” bursts with the same arresting, in-your-face energy right out of the gate. Criales lays down a rapid fire of visceral imagery (“It’s my own disease / That’s eating me / As my skin / Turns vomit green”), softened momentarily by smooth female vocals for a track that nods and appeals to an eclectic set of genres. “‘Monster’ is a high paced, heart racing song about experiencing an anxiety attack,” explains FRED. “It puts the listener through the emotional highs and the draining mental low when it’s over.”
Since joining the Epitaph family this past fall, FRED has released a series of singles that includes “U Want Me Dead,” “Monday,” “Self Destruct,” and “Bloated.” These two new tracks expand upon their diverse musical identity, surfing in the spaces between genres and building momentum motivated by a new wave of artists in the alt and anti-pop scenes that embrace subversion and thrive on inclusivity.