Whatever The Weather :: Whatever The Weather (Ghostly International)

The self-titled debut under the latest alias is poetic and melodic, as Loraine James explores vocal practices drenched in harmonic environments and everlasting reverb chambers.

Vocal practices drenched in harmonic environments

As if Loraine James was not having an already stellar run. With their highly acclaimed Hyperdub release Reflection, it would be fair to assume we might be waiting a while for the next one. As a Bandcamp exclusive they treated us to a handful of selections that did not quite make it onto the album too, taking a fun stance at the many misprints and pronunciations her name has received.

Waiting for tour announcements and a remix single in the side lines, fans were delightfully caught by surprise when the North London artist announced another full-length LP under the new moniker of Whatever The Weather.

Taking a step away from the experimental grooves and R’n’B club tips, this latest venture is guided further towards ambient and IDM stylings that has always been peppered throughout their productions. For those familiar with the earlier EP Nothing, will likely feel the vibe immediately, but will notice the downtempo execution hinting to something a little less abrasive.

The self-titled debut under the latest alias is poetic and melodic, as Loraine James explores vocal practices drenched in harmonic environments and everlasting reverb chambers. Often calm and collected we hear a new side that is entirely refreshing from previous sounds and releases. Single, “17°C,” quickly did the rounds, for its flurry of breaks cutting through these glacier drones and pads.

Most notably for me though has to be “4°C,” that combines broken beat and fuzzed out waves into these vocal explorations. Certainly it comes across as the rebel amongst the quiet bunch that excites for future releases under this project.

Whatever The Weather is available on Ghostly International. [Bandcamp]