THINK LIKE A KEY MUSIC

Nick Frater’s twelfth studio triumph, Oh Contraire!, is so bold it demanded recording along Glastonbury’s ley lines to harness its magic. Vintage synths juggle on sacred turf, French horns (thanks to Brian Wilson Band’s Probyn Gregory) tangle with strings from London’s Royal College of Music, and Mellotrons stack up like bricks in a harmony-laced tower. The handclaps? Snuck into Abbey Road’s Studio 2 via mobile phone—pure rhythmic rebellion. Think Supergrass gatecrashing Roxy Music’s motorik rave, with Queen and Supertramp trading prog punches nearby. From the opening horn blast to the final tearful chord, Oh Contraire! is a master craftsman’s spree through a vintage gear wonderland.