Frankie Rose has been improving her craft with each release. So, it comes as no surprise that Cage Tropical excels compared to Rose’s prior albums. However, what is surprising is this album’s musical direction, which redefines Rose’s sound.
Cage Tropical has a distinct genre-bending sound. It is sparse and spacey as well as warm and comforting. The opening number “Love In Rockets” begins with glowing ethereal guitars kicking off the album with a sense of coziness. Rose’s vocals, sounding robotic and glossy, add a different dynamic, supported by minimalist synthesizers that have little resemblance to Rose’s earlier works or to anything else, except for maybe experimental electronic bands from the seventies.
All these elements set the stage for the rest of the album in terms of the music and how good it is going to be, as “Love In Rockets” is one of Cage Tropical‘s best numbers; but so is over half the album…easily. Rose doesn’t fumble on this record. Song after song, she delvers gold.
Another facet of “Love In Rockets” that is present throughout the record is the drumming, and its intricate and vibrant rhythms. The production quality, which is clean and polished (courtesy of Jorge Elbrecht of Violens fame), lends a more electronic vibe to Cage Tropical’s overall sound. The live drums (as opposed to synthetic beats) and the gusto with which they are played, elevate the album’s sound, and add spryness and immediacy of Rose’s previous releases that had less sophisticated production.
And it is this potent combination of raw passion packaged within tastefully refined sound aesthetics, along with Rose’s great songwriting that makes Cage Tropical such a strong effort. Looking forward to more surprises from Rose to delight us in the future!
