Ben Frost

By the Throat Ben Frost

UK exklusive to SRD - Ben Frost represents one of today's new breed of musicians who conjures an aural broth that inhabits an amorphous cross-section of genres. It's impossible to truly classify where he is coming from musically but it would be safe to say his fans would also have records from Neurosis, Tim Hecker, Sunn O))) and Fennesz lurking in their collection. To call him an experimental electronic musician brings no justice whatsoever. His recent performance at Sonar was heralded by Resident Advisor as being "awe inspiring...the most visceral show of the festival". Ben Frost took the spotlight and smashed it to pieces in 2007 with his breathtaking and critically acclaimed Lp “Theory of Machines”. Wire Magazine said "it is simply awesome--- this is Arvo Pärt as arranged by Trent Reznor", the BBC's Mary Anne Hobbs called it "arresting and exquisite"and included him on her acclaimed "Evangeline" mix CD. Boomkat named Frost "one of the most interesting and groundbreaking producers in the world today" and even went so far as to call “Theory of Machines” "the future of electronic music". Three years later, Frost has returned with his second full-length for Bedroom Community, BY THE THROAT. Where “Theory of Machines” came sterilized in fluorescent light, BY THE THROAT is blood red and cloaked in shadow. Produced in Iceland by Ben Frost and Valgeir Sigur?sson (Björk, Coco Rosie, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy), BY THE THROAT features performances by Amiina of Sigur Rós fame, The Arcade Fire's Jeremy Gara, Swedish metal outfit Crowpath and composer Nico Muhly. Aside from the purely musical language of harmony and melody, like Amiina's strings on "Leo needs a new pair of shoes", there's the level of musique concrète; the weaving of nonmusical sounds into the musical fabric. We hear the snarling of wolves and the groaning of lions in “Killshot”, the microscopic clicking and whirring of hunting killer whales in "Through the roof of your mouth" and the unmistakable sound of