Fred Again... has a fascinating body of work. His solo material is electronic based, but whenever he crosses paths with hip-hop artists, the results are unexpected. "Stayinit" was an eclectic mash up of Fred Again... EDM with Lil Yachty's croon over the top. "Turn On the Lights Again.." turns Future's first big hit into a four on the floor anthem. Fred Again... is digging into his collaborative bag once again with "Places to Be," and this may be his greatest hybrid of styles yet.
"Places to Be" doesn't contain any of the nocturnal, club vibes of Fred Again...'s most famous songs. It's a bright, sunny bop with vocals from Chika and Anderson .Paak. The crux of the beat stems from a vocal sample and a stuttering drumbeat, but the soaring synth is what really makes it irresistible. The synth is a sonic transporter, making the viewer feeling they're soaring through the aforementioned sunny sky. It's a fitting sensation, given the lyrical topic of the song. Chika is the first person heard on "Places to Be," and her smooth, relaxed delivery meshes perfectly with the exhilarating beat drop around the minute mark.
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Fred Again... and Chika both do their thing, but it's Anderson .Paak who steals the show. The artist goes absolutely wild with a half-rapped, half-sung verse that manages to keep pace with the beat. The lyrics aren't mind-blowing, but they're extremely fitting. "Pretty brown, round, got me weak in the knees," he raps. "Slow up, your homie down, I'm re-adjustin' my speed. I've been gone too long, baby doll, don't leave. Okay, but mash, foot up on the gas." The Fred Again... production turns euphoric in the las few seconds of "Places to Be," as it brings back the Chika vocals and slows the tempo. This is going to be lots of summer playlists.
What are your thoughts on "Places to Be" by Chika, Anderson .Paak and Fred Again...? Do you like Fred Again...'s tweaked sound? Does Anderson .Paak steal the show for you? Is this a candidate for song of the summer? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Anderson .Paak, Chika, and Fred Again.... Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Quotable Lyrics:
Runnin' up numbers, shiftin' the axis, like I was NASA
But if you believe they put a man on the moon
Then, damn, what I got to do? (I gotta)
Gotta move that ass, that's right
Tell me what that fast track like