Retrellion is a marked departure from Devin James Fry's previous sound, which typically featured him fingerpicking a guitar, either alone or in the context of Name Sayers, the adventurous psychedelic rock band he fronts.  The new album, which was produced, mixed, and mastered by Fry himself, features punchy, hip hop-influenced songs that are difficult to classify into a single genre, with otherworldly synths and glitchy electronics swirling throughout.

 

Early reviews have noted the shift.  "Is this post-punk hip hop?  We hope so," wrote reviewer Layla Merino of yourEDM.com, noting that with Retrellion, "Fry might even be creating new genres."

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The album's title reflects the idea that there are many valid ways to respond to breakdowns in societal norms, of the type brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. "I wanted a word that felt like both retreat and rebellion," says Fry.

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Retrellion was born.  Some songs feature collaborations with rappers Chris Conde and Otem Rellik, while others are solo explorations.  All were created using a bank of synthesizers and noisemakers including The Jitter Getter, an analog sound effects engine Fry designed and built himself, and which features prominently in the video for Purple Glue.

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One song, Ash Ode Variation, was adapted from a poem by Fry's friend and hero, Dean Young. Fry enlisted the help of another friend and mentor, Chicago flautist Lloyd Brodnax King, to create the song and sent it to Young, who replied to say that he was looking forward to listening to it. Unbeknownst to Fry, Young lay on his deathbed at the time, and Fry is unsure whether Young ever actually heard the song before he died.

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Retrellion's merchandise is as offbeat and finely crafted as the music, and includes gorgeous coloring books, lathecut vinyl, soap, and other items. Retrellion will be released in April of 2023.

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Send all inquiries to devin@devinjamesfry.com