“Fanatics on the front, rebels to the left…” This is Medium Rare! [Album Review]

When Niels and Pepijn announced the release of their debut album “Medium Rare” back in January, we had no idea what to expect from this dynamic duo. With their sound in limbo over the past year, it was evident that Frequencerz we’re in a state of change and the release of their debut album would solidify their ‘new’ sound and what they musically stood for. Now, fast-forwarding to over two months later, we’re more than certain that these guys have earned their spot at the top of the Hardstyle ladder!

With “Medium Rare” now available for purchase and streaming via Spotify, I figured that there’s no better time to go one deeper and take a look at what these ‘steak lovers’ have brought to the table.

Design & Marketing

We all know that with the large number of albums released recently and the whole social media game, it’s becoming evidently harder to excite fans in the lead-up to a release; however, Frequencerz absolutely nailed it when it came to marketing their album. Everything they created around their concept ‘Medium Rare’ made a lot of sense; the artwork was great, their schedule for previews was solid and I love how they also explained the meaning of this album to their fans. In terms of the actual album, I’m a huge fan of how they structured it, placing the tracks in order of ‘Starters, Main Course and Desert.’ Aside from this, the guys managed to score exclusive ‘Medium Rare’ hostings, so I’m excited to see that this legacy will continue beyond the release of the album.

Now, let’s get started on the music!

Starters

On the menu for starters are five brilliant tracks to get your taste buds all fired up. The opening track “A Muse” is a breath of fresh air; it’s instrumental yes, but it doesn’t need vocals. Followed by their biggest hit to date “Wolfpack” with Tartaros feat. MC Jeff, this track needs no introduction – it’s an instant yes!

The next track is a collaboration with their euphoric equivalent Da Tweekaz that goes by the name “Full Control.” When I first saw that these two duos were joining forces I was quite excited and at the same time I didn’t know what to expect, however they managed to create quite a solid, melodic number that can be folded nicely into both of their sets.

The final two tracks in the ‘Starters’ segment are “12FU” and “Embrace” alongside Zany. “12FU” boasts some funky older vibes and one thing that I can’t get enough of is when melody changes key half-way through. I know it was only the starters and that I should wait until I’ve finished the main course, however I must admit that all expectations we’re already exceeded! I knew that Frequencerz we’re breaking into fresh avenues, but I didn’t anticipate just how fresh they are.

Main Course

The first taste listeners get of their Main Course is a delicious serving of B-Freqz. Party-banger “In The Club” packs in a vibe that’s quite similar to their previous collaboration “Psycho” and there’s no doubt that this will be a massive hit! Next up is “Shotgun” feat. MC Jeff and wow, let me just say that this is looking more like a food fight, rather than a civilised meal! I absolutely love this track; everything from the vocals to production is spot on as we once again have a huge hit on our hands!

The third track of the main meal is “Snap Ya Neck,” another stellar collaboration with Dirty Workz representative Hard Driver. Together the guys have managed to create a bangin’ masterpiece that accurately sums up and balances both of their signature sounds. After their 2016 edit of “Psycho,” another remarkable collaboration is on the agenda. “Shut Up” with Roughstate buddy Ran-D is the perfect display of demolishing kicks, a relentless vibe and massive vocals! We have no doubt that this track will tear crowds a new one throughout this coming festival season!

Compared to the previous tracks, Frequencerz solo number “Open Your Mind” is a little more minimalistic and brings forth a darker, reflective atmosphere. The one thing that I was nervous about was that ‘Medium Rare’ would merely consist of banger after banger, so I’m glad to see a lot of diversity and experimentation in their sound.

Coming to the end of a rather delicious main course, we are presented with “Gods,” a collaboration with E-Force, which is a hard, but also quite a melodic and progressive masterpiece that builds up perfectly. And wrapping up this segment of the album is a remix one of their biggest hits “Rockstar” by young-guns Sub Zero Project. It’s very risky for talents to remix such a huge hit, however I feel as though the guys did a great job paying their respects to the original whilst folding in their annihilating kicks and a fresh melody.

Dessert

The final course ‘Dessert’ consists of four tracks to round up a spectacular evening of dining. The first track “Elevate” alongside Warface is slightly exotic in its sound, but I must admit that I absolutely adore that unique wave of energy! The guys have hit the nail on the head with this fresh masterpiece and I can literally picture myself going f*cking crazy when it’s belted out of colossal speakers this festival season!

Next up is “Nuclear,” a progressive and dark smasher that exposes a whole new angle of Frequencerz. I love that mysterious and semi-industrial, yet accessible sound they’ve created in this track and it’s definitely one of the ‘listening’ stand-outs for me.

The following track is one that we’ve all heard before towards the end of Frequencerz’ sets; the B-Freqz Hardcore Remix of “Bitch” is one to get the feet moving and is a nice little addition to end the album with a bang!

But don’t be fooled; it’s not over yet! The cherry on-top of a fantastic listening experience is Frequencerz’ heart-melting Qlimax Edit of “Wolfpack.” To be honest, I don’t mind that this track is featured twice in the album simply because it’s something I can listen to five times in a row and the little orchestral-ish part at the beginning reflects and sums up this next-level auditory journey. I can’t even begin to explain the greatness of this track other than it’s symbolic of just how far Frequencerz have come production-wise and that the sky is the limit for this mighty duo!

 

All in all, I was delighted by what Frequencerz delivered with their debut album “Medium Rare.” As I mentioned earlier, I was expecting banger after banger, so it was a breath of fresh air to discover that the guys set out to cover a broader spectrum of Hardstyle. Another mention goes out to the immense level of quality in their productions; it’s old news that Frequencerz’ productions are amongst the best, however it was just so exciting to be able to really listen to and enjoy the music without feeling too overwhelmed or intense. For Hardstyle fans searching for something fresh and new, look no further than “Medium Rare,” you won’t regret it! 

Grab your copy here: https://frequencerz.lnk.to/MediumRareFA