Fred again..

Born in 1993, London-based songwriter and producer Frederick John Philip Gibson treats his electro- and rave-inspired songs as diary entries. But the artist, who performs under the name Fred again.., doesn’t limit the subject matter to himself. On albums like 2021’s Actual Life (April 14 - December 17 2020) and its sequel, Actual Life 2 (February 2 - October 15 2021), Fred invited his friends into the studio to record their personal stories and then sprinkled them throughout the album. The obvious exception was an epic Kodak Black sample on “Kahan (Last Year).” The songwriter has also worked with stars such as Eminem and Ed Sheeran; in 2023, he teamed up with ambient godfather Brian Eno to create the contemplative, uplifting Secret Life, a partnership that Eno called “a two-way relationship.” Fred’s longest collaboration is with his brothers, whom he shares his tracks with before they’re released. “It’s such a blessing to work with both of my brothers,” Fred explained in an interview with Apple Music. “I’ll spend hours and hours working on a tune, and they’ll hear it how I will, but without all the baggage. They bring a fresh ear.” On stage, he’s become closely associated with two beloved brothers from different mothers: Skrillex and Four Tet’s Kieran Hebden. Following a surprise booking at Coachella 2023, the three pals became an unlikely superstar DJ trio. Their success just proves a tenet key to Fred’s practice: Music is best among friends.