Written by: Ben Norman
When I first heard Frankmusik’s mix to Alphabeat’s “Fascination,” I didn’t think anything of the mixer. Mixers come and go and hardly ever make more of a name for themselves. The instrumentation on the mix of “Fascination” was more 80s electro and minimalist, really bouncy and upbeat, and a shocking treatment of the original material. Still, it was a mix and nothing more. It wasn’t until I was searching for Frankmusik’s deep and dizzy mix of Lady Gaga’s “Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)” that I stumbled upon the video for “3 Little Words” – and fell in love.
Who is Frankmusik?
Frankmusik is Vincent Frank off the mic, and he hails from England. His style is 80s-flavored electropop drenched in emotion and absolutely killer hooks. Complete Me, Frankmusik’s debut album, is produced by Stuart Price (whom you may know as Thin White Duke, Jacques Lu Cont, Paper Faces, etc.) to glorious perfection.
Track by Track
“3 Little Words,” to begin with, is a whirlwind pop track, stomping through his lover’s necessity for him to say “I Love You.” This is the perfect soundtrack for Chuck and Blair from Gossip Girl.
Following that, “Better Off As Two” has a theme opposite to that. He spends the brilliant number trying to convince the object of his affections that they are better as a couple than separately. And he does it with vulnerable and convincing melodies and catchy beats. The video is pretty good as well, interestingly layering effects bringing multiple versions of the singer and an attractive brunette woman. Frankmusik’s tendency to break into falsetto works extremely well on this track! His newest single, “Confusion Girl,” slows it down and tells us about the shortcomings of his most recent ex, a girl who doesn’t know herself and uses him to figure it out. As good as these three tracks are, there are better on Complete Me.
Frankmusik’s Complete Trip
The album is like a trip through a lazy summer day, driving down the road with the windows open. Best if you know the lyrics then, so you can sing it out with him. Especially on slower, more emotive tracks like the rising drama of title track “Complete Me,” the bassy “Vacant Heart,” and the electronic piano ballad “Your Boy.” The dizzy and frantic “When You’re Around” skips and glitches through, gloriously upbeat and confessional. “Wonder Woman” is a cute track, mid-tempo beat accompanying lyrics like “Wonder Woman even gets her nails done.” Take a break ladies, because Wonder Woman does!
A Complete Summary
This is the album of the summer. I compare Frankmusik to Lady Gaga, with his underground success, mainstream potential, and distinctive style. And look how Lady Gaga took off! Get with Frankmusik and be a trend-setter rather than a follower!
Frankmusik’s Complete Me was released in August 2009 on Island-UK.