Jake Frost – “Backdoor”
Jake Frost’s refined prowess for communicating romantic and existential restlessness, and the synth-heavy instrumentation of the single “Backdoor” gives the indie-pop artist a broad musical space within which to operate. Jake understands how to use this electronic ambiance to his advantage, as the track is full of memorable hooks and sleek production. While it certainly has many of the sonic and melodic sensibilities that we have come to expect from chart busting crossover Pop/EDM tracks, the enveloping heft of its inspiration permeates its entirety.
Jake Frost takes control of the narrative and shows us how to override our inhibitions: “Down on the avenue / We took on life as young boys do / With a mind to unloose the screw / We come alive We come alive.” And further on: “There’s nowhere we can’t go tonight / Let you hold my waist as I cross the line / Living on the edge just to stay alive / We’ll slip in from the back this time.”
“Backdoor” uses thick vocal harmonies to great effect, offering the push and pull of falsetto consonance, as Jake Frost’s vocal unmistakably drives the song throughout. Exuding the kind of ambition and open defiance of convention that could only come from an artist on his official debut, Jake has created an enticing blend of unpretentious Indie-Pop awash with introspection and tenderness.
Emotive, resonant, and distinct, his scintillating voice, culls and lulls his sentiments into being. Classy, sensual, and more mature than you’d expect, it’s the kind of confident debut that puts many of Jake Frost’s contemporaries of the indie world to shame.
Again, “Backdoor’s” approach is far more subtle that most contemporary pop singles would ever dare to be. Its gentle, lush instrumentation and warm harmonies can only be described as gorgeous. The track can be taken as a coming-of-age story chronicling how the singer-songwriter has developed both as a person and as an artist.
There is a sense of flair on “Backdoor”, an intuitive knack that can turn the most private of internal monologues into an arena-sized torch song, which suggests “Backdoor” is actually where Jack’s life story gets more and more interesting. The track is an intricate yet natural-sounding fusion of sophisticated pop song craft with a contemporary electronic beat and rhythm.
That balance is trickier than it might seem, but Jake Frost pulls it off. This doesn’t try to be a Pop or electronic track, but integrates sounds from those genres into his own: the song has a fluid energy; it grooves rather than bangs. If there are two things that seem to be decidedly be on Jake’s side, it is his voice and his songwriting skills.
The best way to appreciate his work, is to just let it wash over you. Commit yourself to the soundscape and live within his world. It’s what he wants you to do anyway. “Backdoor” is an audacious reflection of the time, both through its sound and lyrics.
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