The respected Tony Frissore makes a glorious comeback to our online venue, showing us once more why he has become one of the most forward-thinking architects of the contemporary dance scene. Referred to by both critics and audiences as a real master of sonic alchemy, Frissore has dedicated his life to the practice of turning pure, pounding beats into true gold in audio form. He is without a doubt a king of world-building who creates immersive audio worlds through the incorporation of deep, funky bass lines into the very essence of the house genre. From being taken through unforgettable and reflective rides through the mesmerizing beats of his Black Market Mix and the touching echoes of his Quarantine Chronicles, to creating the bright and illuminated moods of the Island Lantern Festival and giving us uplifting songs such as Stand For Freedom, his collection of work is a testament to an emotional and rhythmic perfectionist. However, in collaborating with the amazing artist AXIOM, he once again creates one more masterpiece entitled “Stolen Valor”, a song so filled with textures and grooves that it automatically raises the bar for both of them and it was released on 30th October. Let us enter into the realm of this amazing creation.
From the very first breath that the song takes, you’re hooked by a rich bass line that rolls through the song with the butter smoothness of a melody. What the song does is set up a groove that is so fluid it demands all your attention even before the story has started to unfold. The song goes on to evolve as the music makes space for the raw truth of human beings, with the woven sound bytes of veterans stating exactly why they have joined the military services. This adds an intense emotion right from the start.
As the track unfolds, AXIOM comes into the limelight with a performance that is poetic in its level of accuracy and weightiness, fitting well with the atmospheric soundscape that Frissore has created. Without relying on clichés of the military genre or posturing, the track boldly addresses the difficult issue of a place where the personal conviction clashes with institutional reality, exposing what happens in the case of the conflict between duty and disillusionment. Frissore’s production skillfully connects atmospheric nuances with the catchy beat, supporting the spoken recordings and powerful verses with an underlying bass line that moves the audience and touches the soul.
The title alone is disturbing because of the way it challenges conventional definitions in order to investigate the very personal loss of their own sacred ground. Not trying to speak for everyone who serves or those institutions which train them, but simply a personal statement, poetically captured by another veteran. Hardcoded into this piece is the perfect storm of rage, grief, frustration, and memories of someone who loves deeply what was theirs. AXIOM captures all of these complexities in poetic prose, and Frissore captures them in a powerful soundtrack, just asking us to listen.
With the progression of the song, AXIOM becomes prominent through an impeccable performance that is lyrically performed with extreme precision and gravity, aligning itself well with the atmospheric soundscape constructed by Frissore. Instead of going for clichéd military imagery or superficial bravado, the song throws itself full-on into the awkward territory of personal conviction clashing with organizational truth, and takes apart what occurs when duty clashes with disillusionment. Frissore’s production creates an excellent transition between atmosphere and an irresistible rhythm, placing the spoken-word samples and the tough verses over a pulsating bass groove that makes you move as well as makes you think.
Such attention to detail spills straight over into the aesthetic element of the track. “A picture is worth a thousand words,” and in this case, Frissore and AXIOM use the cover art as the vehicle for delivering those thousand words straight to the heart of the message prior to any music being heard. The cover art itself utilizes various pictures of soldiers with their identities intentionally hidden. By obscuring these individuals, the cover art manages to rise above the level of mere personal fame or posturing and allows the silent strength, discipline, and steadfast dedication of each and every one of them to shine through. When cover art speaks with such intent, you know right away just how much respect went into the entire production process.
In the way that addiction is the key identifier of a good Tony Frissore song, once he gets his hooks in you with his basslines, there’s no going back. But what makes “Stolen Valor” truly remarkable isn’t its pristine production or grooves, but the boldness it takes for him and AXIOM to expose themselves to such vulnerability through their art form in such an unfiltered and raw manner. The inclusion of AXIOM in the mix takes the project from great to truly stunning. It adds a poetic gravity to dance music that proves the floor can still be hallowed ground. Two masters of their craft coming together to make music like this isn’t a process, it’s a gift. Whether or not this is where your story with Tony begins, you’ll certainly find yourself enriched in ways you never thought possible. With an established catalog of music and an unquenchable drive to create more, the future is truly bright for Tony and the sounds to follow.
Stream “Stolen Valor” on Spotify
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