Gem FM is the project of musical innovator James Freeman, who has announced the release of his 5th album, ‘Con Fusion’, for 23 March this year.
A glorious hybrid of electronica meets rock, the long player features 10 original tracks ranging in style from ethereal trance to pulsating beats. All in all the new collection further expands on Freeman’s musical vision, which is freedom of artistic expression, that is now enabled, more than ever before, through modern technology.
That is not to say that Gem FM doesn’t borrow from the past; it is unapologetically retro. But while it touches on Trance, Rock, Electronic Rock, Progressive Rock, Pop and Dance music, they does so while making the various genres their very own, taking the distinct genres and blending them into something unique.
Freeman, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has undoubtedly created an album that is dreamy, multi-layered, rhythmic and incredibly danceable. Opening with ‘Epiphanous Dream’, an instrumental track that could easily be a deep cut from a Pink Floyd album, it is clear that he has wide ranging musical tastes, which is further exemplified in the second track, ‘Hit The Floor’, which somehow manages to blend both Two-Tone, Ska and psychedelic trance.
Speaking about track 3, ‘Glide On By’, Freeman says,
“A tune that seemed to write itself. To me it represents the understanding that we are universal beings that temporarily inhabit biological entities like the ones here on Earth. At first, we look up then we learn to look down. Then we glide on by.”
He adds, in describing track 8, ‘Bake The Cake’,
“The thought here is to figure out what it is that you’re really supposed to be doing and get the job done. Do your own thing and polish it until people notice. And you can dance.”
Mention must be made of the artwork for ‘Con Fusion’, which was designed and created by Richard Capwell, A graphic artist, author (and dog lover), who lives in the high desert of Southern California, Richard also created individual images for each track on the album, with each track image being part of a puzzle piece that combines with the others to form a complete image. A work of art, or rather a series of works of art, for an album that itself is art.
‘Con Fusion’ is set for release on March 23. You can find out more about Gem FM and their music online on their official website, Instagram, Spotify,
and Bandcamp.
