London based hip-hop trio Frozemode create music from very personal situations and experiences. Just listen to the opening track of their new mixtape ‘DEMODE 2’. ‘Asbo Boys’ takes inspiration from comments made about them on social media. They flipped the narrative, taking the observations of others and using them as fuel for their creativity. Strangers making detrimental comments based on first impressions has led to a pulsating opening track. Frozemode bounce with an energy which is immediately gripping.
‘Black Hole’ continues the theme of looking inward, expressing how when life starts to get on top of you bad habits can be used as an escape from reality. However this has a different feel to ‘Asbo Boys’ with heavier drums which pound throughout. The speed of the flows are thrilling, singing along to Frozemode is not easy! ‘Kurama’ slows the pace of the music not the pace of the flow. The track references the Naruto (Japanese manga) character Kurama, a nine-tailed beast that was used as a weapon in wars. There is a more sung element to ‘Kurama’ which demonstrates the versatility of Frozemode. One trick ponies they are not proved by the first three tracks of this mixtape.
The latest single ‘Mandem Nah’ follows and is heavily influenced by New York City’s hip-hop scene. The trio, comprising I.V.GATLIN, Cho-Hollo and Lisong, have a playful vibe going here with a slower but perhaps more deliberate style. There is a hint of mystical Eastern vibes, rather than the nods to the edginess of punk which exists in other songs. The charisma exists by the bucketload, as it is throughout ‘DEMODE 2’. Final track ‘No Assumptions’ is utterly exhilarating. The tempo hits top speed and you suspect this is Frozemode in their happy place. Music can be a cathartic process, helping to deal with the trials and tribulations of real life. ‘No Assumptions’ blends the raw energy of punk with the rhythmic poetry of rap and the result is a breathtaking. Frozemode have created a mixtape which captures the energy of their live shows. An album next please.
7/10
Words: Julia Mason
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