Fatti Frances‘ promised 2012 cassette release is upon us, via new Melbourne label Heavy Lows. Fatti Frances (her real name is Raquel Solider) has played in bands ranging Oh! Belgium through to The Ancients, but this sounds like neither of those groups, nor anything else she’s (to my knowledge) been involved with. Sweaty is crisp and tormented future r’n’b: the textures are luxurious but the beats sound restless and anxiety-ridden. These productions are genuinely, beautifully frightening in their alien erraticness, conjuring a kind of lonely urban ennui that makes me want to get in the car and drive the city’s back streets all night.

For all the foreignness of the productions though, Frances’ vocals are very soulful. I can imagine this fitting nicely on UK label Hyperdub, maybe somewhere between Cooly G and King Midas Sound. Whatever the case, listen to the whole EP below. Review coming soon.