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
a human gasping for breath in “Híbakúsja”. Then there's the sheer physical experience, the literally visceral effect of Frost's seismic rhythms and high- pitched shrieks on your body. These extra-harmonic elements are not just
effects to punctuate the musical narrative in BY THE THROAT, but are integral, unifying motifs. Borgar Magnason's menacing doublebass growls throughout BY THE THROAT, and is often so distorted it transforms the
instrument into pure bestial noise, the brass choirs of "Peter Venkman" are recorded so closely that they almosttransform into pure human breath. And just as these voices slide away from "notes" and "harmony" to become
concrete sound-images-the meanings of these images rattle around and collide into each other, never truly representing each other or any one simple thing, but instead form a whole language of gasping and howling, gut-punching
bass and snarling metal. And using this language-the way that, for instance, an auteur of surreal cinema might use a similarly layered, not-quite-distinct vocabulary of literal, symbolic, and abstract imagery-Frost tells a story we
can't quite articulate, but which we can feel, profoundly and unmistakably. - KOMPAKT DISTRIBUTION welcomes BEDROOM COMMUNITY! Iceland's most esteemed label has a tremendous roster of talent including Nico
Muhly, Valgeir Sigur?sson and Sam Amidon. - BEN FROST has emerged as one of today's most celebrated musicians. 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". - Not to be cast as an experimental electronic music album, BY THE THROAT will appeal to fans of NEUROSIS, TIM HECKER, SUNN O))).
Features performances from AMIINA, THE ARCADE FIRE's Jeremy Gara, the Swedish metal outfit CROWPATH and composer NICO MUHLY.