REFLECTION: ALBUM REVIEW
Loraine James spent 2020 experimenting. James dropped several different EPs, surprise projects, and unreleased demos that were clearly working towards something big. Each EP explored a different musical direction: some leaned into the glitchy club music that she’s best known for, while others saw her throwing in drill, videogame soundtrack, and more classic house influences. Loraine James’ newest project, Reflection, feels like a triumphant culmination of a year spent exploring. It’s a texturally rich, thematically dense, and overall beautiful showcase of one of the most brilliant minds in electronic music.
Loraine James burst onto the scene in 2019 with her debut album on Hyperdub titled For You And I. The genius of FYAI was in the expert sequencing and the flashes of sound and color which kept you guessing at every turn. Reflection excels in very different ways. Rather than splashing you with sound, Reflection immerses you in an underground, dense world. Many contributed to the project, but they are often so layered that you can’t make out a word. The album never gives you a break from its atmosphere, and that immersion keeps you continually captivated.
Loraine James’ music is known for its glitchy feel. James rarely repeats a pattern and even within individual songs, it can be difficult to make out exactly where certain rhythms start and end. Rhythms flow over and under each other, making each track uniquely difficult to wrap your head around. A great example of this is the song “Running Like That” which features beautiful vocals sung by Eden Samara. While Eden’s voice glides, Loraine James creates a tapestry with her production. Each drum sound is different and jarring, as pitches blend and morph to match the vocal’s intonations perfectly.
The way that the vocals are handled on this album is fascinating in and of itself. Loraine James has a knack for understanding the perfect way to use a vocal line. She often uses vocals as a part of her drum sequencing, rather than treating them as separate entities. On the track “We’re Building Something New,” Iceboy Violet’s voice becomes an instrumental guide. When he emphasizes a word, James drops the bass, and when his voice gets lighter, she lets the pianos take over. Finally, as his voice fades away, she beautifully layers his voice creating a chorus of Iceboys speaking to each element of the track.
Instrumentally, Reflection feels more organic than some of her previous work. On tracks like “Simple Stuff” and “Self Doubt,” it sounds in some cases like James is moving away from electronic-sounding drums and towards real hats, snares, and rimshots. This shift changes her music from sounding glitchy to stuttering. It no longer feels like it’s being carefully crafted on a laptop — it feels like a group of meticulous drummers are sitting and hammering out every single kick and counting out each rest. The more organic instrumentation is essential when James uses guest vocals as it breaks down the contrast between the vocal and instrumental as they blend into natural harmony.
Loraine James has spent the past few years showing over and over that she’s a genius when it comes to producing. She’s not afraid to play with unconventional instruments, rhythms, time signatures, or vocals. Most importantly, no matter what genre she’s working in, she has developed a sound that is wholly hers. It’s time to put her name in conversation with other innovators like Burial and Aphex Twin. She reaches new heights on this project that nobody else is matching.