vcam - Updraft (n5MD)

New album from James Long, quite Autechresque. Recommended.

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Vcam (aka Snoqualmie, WA-based James Long); the same artist responsible for the Shaelslip EP (an IDM classic) all the way back in 2002, has been a bit more active in recent years with full length albums Arconide (2020), Cycle (2021), and his latest Updraft in late 2022. With a penchant for extreme abstraction, Vcam fabricates cold and sparse environments which can sometimes resemble the work of Autechre from their Confield and Draft 7.30 era. Dense rhythmic arrangements and atonal synth pieces collide on Updraft culminating a radically unique listening experience; which if heard in the correct headspace, could potentially alter one’s entire perception of reality.

When diving deeper, listeners will find FX laden beats that seemingly emerge from left field, then break apart into sonic shrapnel just to reassemble again. Frigid and metallic, the tracks shuffle along with an industrial force. Heavily processed signals and micro-tonal adjustments give one the sense that this music is less human, and more alien-like in nature. Loose structures give the tracks lots of space, and while Updraft is not completely devoid of melody, the tones you can discern are utilized in a rhythmic way so that they fuse themselves to the constantly shifting glitch patterns.

For me it’s remarkable what Vcam is able to accomplish here in terms of mood and overall feeling within these tracks. The sheer amount of exploration going on within each piece will take several dedicated listens to fully grasp. Not for the faint of heart or casual listener, I would recommend lisening to this record in a dark room on high volume to get the full desired effects.

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