Fred Armisen mourns Steve Albini's passing, crediting him for the inspiration behind his recent album, titled 100 Sound Effects. He laments the daily absence of Albini in his life.
Fred Armisen, a comedian, actor, musician, and writer, has released a new album titled 100 Sound Effects. The album, which was released on September 26, 2025, via Drag City, is a conceptual project consisting of various sound effects.
100 Sound Effects is not a collection of songs. Instead, it features 101 'tracks' with descriptive names like "Trying Out an Electronic Drum Kit with Headphones at a Music Store" and "Romanian Crowd at Rock Club Shouting for an Encore." The album aims to be both a usable library and an engaging listening experience.
Armisen recorded the album in Los Angeles, working with engineer Darrell Thorp at Studio 606 and later Sunset Sound. Thorp was recommended by Dave Grohl, and originally, Armisen had wanted to work with Steve Albini at Electrical Audio, Chicago. However, Albini, who was instrumental in making the album happen, passed away during its development after suffering a heart attack in 2024. The album is dedicated to his memory.
The production process was collaborative and inventive, with contributions from guests such as Mary Lynn Rajskub, Amber Coffman, Tim Heidecker, Riki Lindhome, and Alice Carbone Tench.
One of the tracks from the album, "Music Venues," has been released as a teaser on September 26. The track is a compilation of content from the album and offers a taste of the diverse sonic moments captured in 100 Sound Effects.
100 Sound Effects is a unique fusion of sound art and utility, capturing both everyday and whimsical sonic moments for diverse uses and deep listening. It can be used as a library, an industrial tool for entertainment projects, or for "brain-stimulating deep listening."
The album's tracklisting can be found on the Drag City website, and it is available for pre-order.
[1] Drag City's website [3] Article about the album on Pitchfork [4] Article about the album on Consequence of Sound [5] Article about the album on Stereogum
Despite Fred Armisen's new album, 100 Sound Effects, not containing any traditional music, it offers an engaging listening experience, featuring 101 tracks with descriptive names like "Romanian Crowd at Rock Club Shouting for an Encore." This fusion of sound art and utility can potentially serve as a resource for various projects in the field of entertainment.
