Actress Releases Eleventh Album 'Radical Frame', Honors Black Avant-Garde

Darren Cunningham, known as Actress, has released his eleventh album, 'Radical Frame', which is dedicated to the Black avant-garde. The English artist has been exploring sonic secrets since the start of his music career, and this album marks 18 years since his debut 'Hazyville'. Cunningham's own trajectory—from a football player who turned to music after an injury to a celebrated DJ, producer, composer, painter, and writer—exemplifies the radical path he champions. The album blends all previous aspects of his music: sometimes abrasive, sometimes floating, sometimes angry, sometimes fragile, yet always unpredictable despite its roots in British dance history. Notably, Actress incorporates piano chords without sounding outdated or kitschy. The album features a five-second track, 'Gimme tha fuckin' Money Man', and a 16-minute closer, 'Sheets', with Rainy Miller, ending in ambient and sea sounds. Guest artists like Casisdead on 'Live by you' leave their mark, but Cunningham absorbs them into his own ghostly vision. The term avant-garde is big, but for Actress it is once again absolutely justified.