Listen To Raiden Freeman's New Album 'Within The Speed Limit Of Love'

"I don't want to say what I mean anymore" confesses Raiden Freeman aka Jack Mells on 'Say What I Mean', sprawling across vast thematic and sonic territory within the second track on the Aotearoa artist's album Within The Speed Limit Of Love. Challenging short-form music blurb writers with maximal, montage-like compositions, Mells embraces elements including nimble DIY folk balladry, noisy guitar skronk, club-bumping trap, funk grooves, field recordings, emo pop and scorched subterranean metal. Likewise, Raiden Freeman casts his self-reflexive lyrical gaze upon a diversity of pertinent topics, including "his place on the autism spectrum, his grief over the loss of his friend Reuben Winter, social conditioning, Japanese cinema, cause and effect, and a desire to make it through hard times while becoming stronger".

A film maker as well as songwriter / producer, cinematic themes thread throughout Mells' new record, evident on 'Manchurian Candidate' ("Manchurian candy date me tonight"), 'Cut Up', 'Brother Of The Joker (featuring Mosese, The Band)', and name-checking performance / video artist Matthew Barney on opener 'Monoholy'. Standouts on first play include the booming 'Goner', hook-fiesta 'Enoch', touching tribute anthem 'Reuben Winter (featuring Cryer)', 'Barry's Song', 'Men Make Me Nervous' and the aforementioned 'BOTJ', but listeners will no doubt unearth their own personal favourites. Crafted with hyper-fixated care for detail, disarming honesty and laudable artistic ambition, Within The Speed Limit Of Love demands to be heard — hit play below...

'Within The Speed Limit Of Love' is out today on major streaming services via Bankrupt Records — MiniDisc and cassette edition (including limited 90 minute "SoundCloud Cut" of the album) preorders available HERE.