Fred Denise's EP ‘Otherside’: A Raw, Poetic Glimpse into Humanity

Fred Denise, an independent solo artist hailing from Toulouse, France, is preparing to release his debut EP, Otherside, in April 2024. Known for his deeply reflective and sincere approach to music, Fred Denise’s work is a compelling blend of acoustic guitar, voice, and subtle instrumentation, where his unique mix of rock, punk, reggae, and French chanson intertwines. His compositions are laced with poetry and irony, offering a critical, sharp-eyed look at society’s complexity. He sings predominantly in French, with occasional dips into English, giving his music an authentic, bilingual flair.

With Otherside, Fred Denise opens the door to his world, inviting listeners to confront themes of madness, hope, human suffering, and the elusive search for a better life. The EP is a seven-track journey, taking us into the raw, emotional terrain of a man who has not only observed life’s intricacies but experienced them firsthand.

The record begins with "Mass Murder Dance," a track that immediately grabs attention with its haunting atmosphere. Sparse, muffled guitar chords build tension, drawing listeners into the fray. Denise's rhythmic vocals introduce "Sista Porn," an icy and unsettling allegory for the COVID-19 pandemic, encapsulating the fear and devastation it brought. There’s an underlying sense of threat, which intensifies with each chord, each verse. The tension is palpable as the guitar mirrors the frenzy, propelling us forward into the rest of the EP.

The title track, "Otherside," offers a moment of reprieve. Featuring the tender cello of Caroline Menrath, the song brings an unexpected warmth, easing the tension that had been so artfully constructed in the opening track. This piece represents a more intimate moment on the EP, a ballad written by Fred Denise in the late 1990s. It tells the story of waiting for a better life—an "other side" that promises peace and fulfilment. Denise’s gentle, poetic lyrics resonate deeply, while the cello provides a haunting yet comforting backdrop. The track is revisited at the end of the EP in a delicate cello-voice rendition, offering a soft, melancholic closure to the listener’s experience.

At the heart of this EP is its honest reflection of human vulnerability. Tracks like "Folie" delve into complex themes, with Denise tackling the subject of schizophrenia with remarkable sensitivity and understanding. Having spent considerable time with those suffering from this mental illness, he sings with a depth that can only come from lived experience. The haunting final verse, “I came to see you today/you had already left/why how do we go to the other side of the mirror/fear, pain, tears/despair/I know we also die inside/from seeing too much,” captures the intensity of the internal battle. The song, much like the EP itself, is deeply personal yet universally relatable.

The rest of the tracklist continues in this vein of brutal honesty. Songs like "Plage" and "Roger" further develop the EP’s exploration of life’s harsh realities, all carried by Fred Denise's warm voice and minimalist guitar. There’s an impression of simplicity, yet beneath it lies a complexity that speaks to the human condition. Each song is a slice of life, filled with Fred Denise’s observations and reflections on the world around him, offering no fantasies or escapes—just stark, unembellished reality.

While Otherside is deeply introspective, it is also full of warmth and humanity. Fred Denise’s choice to blend sparse instrumentation with his rich voice creates an intimate, almost conversational atmosphere. One can sense the influence of rock and punk in the album’s raw edge, yet there’s a delicacy too, with reggae and chanson influences adding texture and depth.

In essence, Otherside is not just an album—it’s an invitation to step into Fred Denise’s world, a world where harsh truths are laid bare, but so too are the glimmers of hope that persist amidst the chaos. His music, while at times heavy, offers solace. It serves as a reminder that even in our darkest moments, there is beauty to be found—whether in a simple guitar chord, a warm voice, or the yearning for a better tomorrow.

Fred Denise’s debut EP reflects the very essence of Oscar Wilde’s famous line: “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” With Otherside, Fred Denise offers us not only a mirror to our own struggles but also a soundtrack to our search for light in the darkness.