Frankie Archer combines traditional balladry with very contemporary-sounding electronica. This idea in itself isn’t new, but Archer’s fresh approach and sure hand – and, most importantly, her willingness to experiment – result in a sound that is unlike anyone else. Her first two releases, the EPs Never So Red (2023) and Pressure and Persuasion (2024), seemed like fully-formed, finely-cut gems, but debut album The Dance of Death, which was co-produced by Kylie Minogue collaborator Guy Massey, sees her take her artistry to new levels. As the title suggests, this is a record built around the ideas of death and mortality, but it is anything but one-dimensionally depressing.
The way the album quietly foregrounds theme and structure without compromising on…