Frabin - Real (2015)

Immersed in the idea of making an album that completed the work of his first EP Selfish, Victor Fabri took the expression “Do it yourself” to the last consequences when he decided not only to compose, but to record, edit, produce the cover and get in touch with great names for the post-production of their first album Real. A commendable achievement that only adds praise and quality to his artistic name, since this work directly reflects his personality and the messages he wants to convey through his sound: a flirtation between Shoegaze and the different faces of Psychedelia today. There are several expressions that can describe the album, but the most complete is revealed in its title.

Yes, this is real work, made by a real musician who knows exactly what he must do to show us real music that causes honest feelings. A reality that belongs to Victor and of which he is comfortable enough to show us a window of it. All of this comes with intense doses of psychedelia that sometimes reveals itself in the precise choice of guitar and synthesizer timbres, sometimes it shows itself in the structure of the composition that captivates the listener to move forward, without knowing where it will end up.

Precise doses of Pop give the work a less experimental air, which, while making the album “easier” to listen to, makes it stick in the head of those who listen to it. Those who listen to Kids From Outer Space, for example, are likely to be stuck indefinitely in its catchy chorus and its mesmerizing video, exploring the best quality of VHS aesthetics. Other highlights go to the tracks Em Vao, Disease and Bad Vibes.

Frabin brings in his first studio album a kind of displacement of humor from other genres. It may be comfortable to define this work as a more cheerful Slowdive, even a more depressing Real Estate, but, in the end, what is actually left is the impression that these inaccuracies in concretely defining Victor's sound, precisely shape what it is: a work of your personal reality. It's worth keeping an eye on the musician's upcoming releases.