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Billboard
Norwegian duo Frost unveils languid emotional electro-pop
vistas on its spacious and lush debut "Melodica."
Comprising vocalist Aggie Peterson and producer/programmer
Per Martinsen, Frost's songs conjure images of a dreamy
netherworld reminiscent of the plaintive textural vistas
of artists like the Cocteau Twins and Emiliana Torrini.
Peterson's evocative torch songs and detached soulful
stylings drift beautifully over Martinsen's supple electronic
musical backdrops. "Melodica" is more than
just another "coffee table" or "chill-out"
confection. The set subtly seduces with rapturous and
vibrant melodies. Cuts like the edgy "Endless Love"
(remixed by fellow Norwegian act Royksopp) and the soothing
instrumental "Klang" (with acclaimed trumpeter
Nils Petter Molvaer) showcase the pair's preoccupation
with quirky and majestic elegies to life, love, relationships
and dreams.
NME
Frost's 'Melodica' is, very much, a chilly contraction
of 'melodic' and 'electronica'. Much as you might expect
of a band out of Tromsø, Norway, who are helped
out by Röyksopp on a couple of these tracks. Kind
of Portishead-meets-Björk, singer Aggie Peterson
and "blipster" Per Martinsen create a dolful,
chic sound of some spangeled beauty. It's a little too
polite and refined at times; some dirt and noise wouldn't
go amiss. Still, you can't argue with the tearful, airbrushed
cyber-pop of 'Alphabet' or the wistful or the wistful,
trumpet-led modernism of 'Klong'. Wintry but warm, and
very well crafted.
Time Out, London
(…) one of them, ahem, hottest bands on the Norwegian/Scando
circuit right now is Frost (…) Occasionally, very
occasionally, an album is so incredible that it makes
you sit back in your uncomfortable office seat and think
'wow'. Frost is such a band, 'Melodica' such an album,
and singer Aggie Peterson such a femme fatale. Lush,
sweeping, sparkly, quirky, heartbreaking, post-synth
pop…the adjectives could go on and on (…).
Big Chill
Those Norwegians have been at it again, and this duo
from Tromso have got
together a collection of iced gems. Sweet, colourful
and crunchy with sharp
points, they have you gagging for more (and before you
know it the whole lot
are over). Aggie Peterson's vocals veer effortlessly
between girlie euro-pop
and wigged-out surrealism, whilst Per Martinsen's samples
and synths provide
textures and rhythms that are other-worldly rather than
arctic.
"Pharmacy", the opening track has "single'
written all over it, (and indeed
it has been the A-side of a sold out limited-edition
run of 500 7"s). Not to
fret, seeing as the enchanting B-side "Half-Whole"
is here too. Nils Petter
Molvaer's trumpet is the icing on the cake for "Klong",
and the Royksopp
remix of "Endless Love" that closes the album
is a masterpiece.
The Observer Music Monthly
Accomplished debut offering from Röyksopp's
sultry Norwegian electronic pals, who are certainly
chilled if not frosty. Makes Portishead sound upbeat.
Time Out, New York
Perhaps Aggie E. Peterson and Per Martinsen thought
they'd preempt such remarks by naming their voice-and-synth
outfit Frost, but the Norwegian duo's music does indeed
suggest the frigid stillness of a postblizzard landscape.
Since Portishead first blended Sade, Sartre and a jigger
of electro-dub in a glass filled with shaved ice, dozens
of female-fronted combos have embraced existential lounge
music, but none has been chillier than Frost. "Pharmacy",
which opens the band's second album, locates impassive
regret - " And all I can do/Is to make you see
that/I'm sorry for loving you" - in a glacial cavern
of thumps, bleeps and the rippling of what sounds like
an underground stream.
Muzik
Frost is former techno bod Per Martinsen and Miss Aggie
Peterson. He provides Herbert-syle click hous, she adds
heart-wrenching vocals. Together they make sweet, soulful
music with occasional help from Röyksopp. You'll
be hearing a lot more from this duo. >>>
Outburn
Singer Aggie Peterson's warm longingly delivered vocals
mesh perfectly with the cold blips, bleeps, and bass
of producer Per Martinsen to create a kind of chilled-out
pop tat combines the immediacy of human emotion with
the abstract detachment of early Detroit techno. As
paradoxical as it seems, the melancholy charm of Melodica's
chilly pop will leave you with an ache in your heart
and a smile on your face.
Enthustiastic
listener on Amazon.com
Absolutely Fantastic! Melodica
is a brilliant emerging duo. Their sounds are soothing
and
relaxing, as well as being extremely exciting. Standouts
on the album
are Alphabet, Endless Love, and Amygdala. Aggie Petersons
smooth voice
flows over Per Martinsens excellent mixes that creates
an amazing
atmosphere on every track. Whether you buy Melodica
immediately or put
it on your wish list, make an effort to get this album
and listen to
it. Frost will forever change your perspective on music.
I
rate Melodica - 5/5
College
Music Journal, 15.09.03
Straight from the land of Vikings, reindeer and Royksöpp
comes Frost - Tromso, Norway's latest icy downtempo
electronica act. Melodica is the product of singer Aggie
Peterson and producer Per Martinson, who have imbued
the disc with a style similar to that of the songdriven
dance music that marked Gus Gus's earlier work, combined
with the beautiful glitchy electronica of Isolée.
Fans of Björk's most recent and more electronic-based
productions (aided by producers like Matmos and LFO's
Mark Bell) will find a powerful recipe in Martinson's
sweeping musical backdrop, layered under Peterson's
prominent vocals. Breaking the ice early on in the album
is the excellent "Running Boy", a track fillet
with tickling beats and a gorgeous vocal - you will
melt when Martinson bellows the chorus. Meanwhile, "Half-Whole"
is a collaboration with Royksöpp, filled with distorted
vocals coated by the sound of a Nordic music box. This
is the perfect album to escape the impending Indian
summer.
Radiovista/www.radiovista.com
FROST - "Past"
Melodica/Universal/2002
This will surely make my top ten this year, even if
it did come out towards the end of the last. The electronic
production is extremely well done, but the important
thing is that every song would sound good if it was
just her voice and a guitar.
FROST - "Palm Of His Hand"
Bedsit Theories/Drum Island/1998
Frost is a collaboration between singer/producer Aggie
Peterson and "blipster" Per Martinsen. This
is a lovely track with sweeping strings, but it's a
number of years old, so I'm much more curious as to
what's on the album that they made just a few months
back. This band is very new to me, another that I wish
I would've heard before, but there's just so much to
listen to out there right now..>>>
Frost performed at Notting Hill >>>
Rough trade review / Amygdala Remixes (double 12"):
Excellent remix doublepack promo feat. Atom tm. Bjorn
Torske and friends adding their subtle electronic and
micro house touch to the original - for fans of Massive
Attack, Zero 7 and Royksopp.
Luna Kafé Record Review/Various Artists/ Tellé
Samleplate
Aggie Frost Peterson's song Endless Love (done in co-operation
with Rune Lindbæk and Torbjørn Brundtland
of the Drum Island/Those Norwegians "collective")
has been out as a single earlier, and this is one of
the mixes. Frost has got a frosty (uh...) but warm voice,
and it's an up-beat song for the dance floor. >>>
Norwegian Band Index
Breathe inn a distanced and harmonic piece of music,
with hints to the good music made in the eighties. Even
though she makes her own music, she's rather pretty,
and has a strong voice. >>>
Switch to this / Review/ 7" Pharmacy
I received this ultra-chic 7" from Norway yesterday,
and I must say I was gobsmacked. The title tune starts
off with very Warp:ish swooshes and then works its way
through a very driving bassline and electronica beats
into the seductive voice of Aggie Frost. However, the
title track isn't what caught my attention though, its
the B-side "Half-Whole", that I heard on Jo
Whiley (Radio 1) couple of weeks back.
Half-Whole is a grippingly beautiful song. It's instruments
and chords are carefully crafted to target the listeners
emotions in the deepest of ways and when the slightly
distorted vocals are introduced, the elements of the
song really click into place and you can't help but
to just feel the soothing emotion of the song until
the needle hits the last groove. Highly recommended
and the forthcoming album should be something worth
waiting for.
Just to note, Half-Whole was co-produced by Torbjørn
Brundtland and Svein Berge from the ingenius Röyksopp.
>>>
Rough Trade/Review/7" Pharmacy
Ice cool and calculated norwegian pop, will appeal to
royksopp fans obviously and also fans of lali puna and
the morr and monika labels. very limited import 7",
this won't be around for long. >>>
Fjords/9-review
Frost "Melodica" Universal
"A couple at years back, Aggie "Frost"
Peterson made a respectable decision; she turned her
back TV and devoted her )lie to bar music. Not everyone
would willingly turn down an offer from national television
(NRK) these days> But she did, And here is the result.
Little Aggie grew UP in the north Of Norway, just like
many other Norwegian electronic musicians. Some of them
attend on this album. And it is not just anyone: Torbjørn
Brundtland and Svein Berge of Røyksopp, Per Martinsen
of Illumination, and Nits Petter Molvær. In other
words, a Norwegian electronic dreamteam! "MeIocica"
is still a sweet album. Even with three boys fuming
switches and pressing keys, the feminine touch on this
album is never threatened. Even on the slightly rougher,
Running Boy', my favourite tune on the album 1 might
acid, mixed and twisted by Røyksopp, femininity
still rules. This is a song for modern men and women.
Just like you. 1 don't really remember what R was that
1 expected; A little bit more fuel for the dance Poor
perhaps? Instead 1 found the stripped down "Pharmacy",
which turns better and better every lime you ploy it.
1 found the crispy 'AmygdaIa", and the beautiful
"Klong" featuring Nits Petter Molvær
on trumpet. "Melodica" is a sweet and quite
beautiful album. Sometimes those words could equal boring.
It that's the case with this album you'll have to find
out for yourself."
Jan llseng
Links featuring Frost
Radio playlists
wfhb.org/playlist.shtml
distort.us/pls/playlist-090603euph.htm
distort.us/anc.htm
ktuh.org/top30old.htm
radiotake10.org/playlist/take2.txt
The Knitting Factory
knittingfactory.com/labels/index.cfm
Forums
misterbuster.com/showthread.asp?thread=1287
Arts4all
arts4all.com/newsletter/breakingnews/breakingnews.asp?bb=3188&sid=1
Music Munchers
musicmunchers.com/f/f/Frost/index2.htm
It's a trap! The latest on Scandinavian music
itsatrap.com/index.php?story_id=267
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