For You And I

彼はオウテカとエイフェックス・ツインが激突した交通事故現場に通りがかったディジー・ラスカルか?!衝撃の才能ロレイン・ジェイムス降臨!!!!

ジャズ、エレクトロニカ、UKドリルからグライムをもブレンドする北ロンドンの新鋭ロレイン・ジェイムスが＜Hyperdub＞よりデビュー・アルバム『FOR YOU AND I』をリリース!!ずっしりと跳ね回るキックにドリル音のようなハットワーク、曲名を連呼する声ネタのみで強烈な中毒性をもたらすティーザー・トラック「Sick 9」、コンプの効いたグリッチ・ファンクに酩酊シンセが絡む冒頭曲「Glitch Bitch」、まるでオウテカとエイフェックス・ツインが激突した交通事故現場を目撃するようなマシーン・ファンクとドリルン・ベースのシンコペーションに目が眩む「So Scared」、ディジー・ラスカルのクラシック『Boy In DaCorner』へのリスペクトが詰まった「London Ting // Dark AsFuck」、鼓膜から流れ込んだハイな電子音が大量に三半規管へと充満するカラフルな表題曲「For You And I」など、自身がクイアでいることへの葛藤と自由が反映された本作。ジェンダーレスでハードコアなレーベル・ポリシーを全うする2019年ダークホース盤!

For You and I is the debut album of London-based producer Loraine James. Focusing on James' sense of self and queer relationships, the album uses free-form production styles to deliver an emotionally resonant work. The album's artwork, depicting the estate where James grew up, is an homage to both her childhood and musical origins. ~ David Crone|

Loraine James first Hyperdub release is an homage to her London upbringing, as well as an exploration of her own identity, specifically as a queer black woman residing in the city. The cover art shows her standing in front of her childhood flat while holding up an old Polaroid photo of the same building. Reflecting the multiculturalism of the city, her music is influenced by numerous genres and styles, but it rarely feels like shes dipping into any of them for train spotters sake. Her music is the sound of spontaneous expression beyond any perceived limitations. Opener Glitch Bitch is a motivational club track frayed with skips and stutters, nearly crashing into itself by the end. Dark as Fuck is the albums most abrasive, confrontational moment, with rapper Le3 Black spitting out venomous rhymes over disorienting synths and explosive, mutated grime beats. James expresses the anxiety of displaying affection with her partner in public on tracks like So Scared, which starts out with chattering beats before exploding into gloriously messy, overloaded Amen breaks. Sensual is a bit more relaxed, with its pillowy chords and ethereal vocals, but theres still a restlessness to the ever-shifting beats. The jittery tempo of For You and I is the closest James comes to approximating footwork, but the layers of floating echo and ghostly voices elevate it to an entirely different realm. Tracks like Scraping My Feet nail the balance of advanced beats and gorgeous, stirring melodies present in IDM at its best. The entire album is refreshingly devoid of any lingering notion of fitting in or following any rules or trends. James vision is hers alone, and its a powerful one. ~ Paul Simpson