As I’ve discussed before when writing about electronic music, I don’t dance. When watching DJs and producers perform live, I typically stand against the wall or by the production booth. I’m far away from the floor by design. I don’t listen the stuff because of the atmosphere, the community, or the live energy. I got into it because it destroys my perception of creativity far more than any other genre.
My appreciation for electro started and mostly remains a purely intellectual pursuit.
It’s primarily because don’t know how to create it myself. So, while I can definitely appreciate the vibes and ambience, from spaced-out downtempo to bonkers Hi-NRG, my brain still controls how I process the music. I typically figure out what’s happening critically instead of enjoying it emotionally.
Thankfully, a small coterie of electronic artists know how to break through my mental defenses so my feelings can come out to play. And few of them connect with me as viscerally as Loraine James. Socio-culturally, we have nothing in common with this immensely talented artist. Yet, her ability to craft beats, breaks, moods, and modes absolutely captivates me. And with Gentle Confrontation, her third album on the esteemed Hyperdub, everything comes into focus across sixteen soulful tracks that are personal, intimate, and introspective.
Instead of EDM, it’s EEM – Electronic Emo Music.
James provides a tremendous ebb and flow to the project by layering eclectic grooves with an extraordinary deftness. Wearing her heart firmly on her sleeve, we get songs about family, friends, adolescence, and more. She’s unafraid of her emotions, as difficult as some definitely are. Instead, she welcomes them, choosing to burrow inside to explore exactly what they have to offer her and the listener.
Though I hate to use the adjective, Gentle Confrontation might be her most “accessible” album yet.
To be sure, there are no pop bangers to be found. Evoking the work of artists such as Jamila Woods, James Blake, Fuck Buttons, Flava D, and label mate Jessy Lanza, the music rarely goes big and hard. Still, Loraine James effectively mixes glitch, R&B, and pop with immaculate aplomb. She prefers to dig deeper and deeper into sounds and sensations, beckoning you to follow wherever she leads. That makes this a dense headphones record designed for quiet, lonely days when you’re either wallowing in your feelings or need help accessing your emotions.
On tracks like “2003” and “Try for Me (ft. Eden Samara),” she fuses an abundance of hi-hats with twinkling synths and funky snare syncopation to delirious effect. She also knows how to balance thick, gut-rumbling sub bass against aggressive kick drum patterns, as heard on “Deja Vu (ft. RiTchie)” and “Speechless (ft. George Riley).” But it’s the delicious rhythms and jazz-inspired chord progressions on the keyboard that I find most appealing. Best evinced on album standouts “Let U Go (ft. keiyaA)” and “I DM U,” they provide the capable guide we need as navigate turbulent emotional waters
Throughout Gentle Confrontation, Loraine James embraces her esoteric yet keen production flair as never before.
Electronic music as a genre is too often maligned for promoting technology over emotion, but this album absolutely trashes those tired cliches. It helps that she dishes up profound reflections on her own life, complete with more of her own vocals and guest vocalists than earlier projects. Ultimately, I love good art that encourages me to use my head and my heart in equal measure. This combination of impeccable musicianship, soothing vibes, and exciting timbres totally delivers.