Frayle
1692 (white/gold)
Repress on white in gold vinyl. Frayle makes music for the night sky. The group was formed in 2017 by guitarist Sean Bilovecky (formerly of now defunct Man's Ruin recording artists Disengage) and vocalist Gwyn Strang , a singer with an alluring voice and an equally compelling flair for imagery. Frayle's "lullabies over chaos" approach to songwriting allows the group the freedom to explore what is possible with heavy music; its gorgeously ominous sound is a result of complex layering and tone stacking while simultaneously overseeing the perfectly delicate balance between heaving, heavy riffs and haunting vocal melodies. Gwyn's lyrics tell stories of heartbreak, anger, hypocrisy and resolution, asking the audience for empathy, and in turn inspiring vulnerability. Her angelic, siren like voice pulls at the tension between wanting to dissolve into the universe and needing to stand on top of it, riding each wave with elastically ethereal phrases that bring to mind Cocteau Twins' Elizabeth Fraser or Portishead's Beth Gibbons. This dynamic is also reflected in Frayle's music, where dark, brooding guitars and percussion are both fighting against and propelling the emotion and melody carried by Strang's magnetic voice. In addition to vocalist Gwyn Strang and guitarist Sean Bilovecky, Frayle features drummer Pat Ginley, bassist Eric Mzik and guitarist Elliot Rosen.