North London producer Loraine James finds romance and hope on her extraordinary album, Reflection. It’s a work of seductive, heartfelt brilliance by an artist at the peak of her powers.
On Reflection, we truly see the breadth of her resourcefulness as an artist: both as translator and purveyor of gut feeling. The elemental building blocks are all you need to shape something completely new.
Reflection feels like a culmination of all these projects; it’s an open-hearted work by an artist that has undoubtedly levelled up.
By the end of Reflection, we’re thoroughly dazzled by an unapologetic and sometimes dizzying inner space—defined not only by infused electronic sounds, but also by James’ unwavering willingness to clash, jitter, and play—turning her impulses into music that catches you in its trance.
Reflection doesn't quite have the shock of the new that For You and I did, but its best moments are still powerful, and it would be impossible to mistake the album for anyone else's perspective.
While guilty of occasionally fading toward the background, the record rewards repeat listens. Its cohesiveness becomes unmistakably clear, and the subtle nuances of the production reminds us yet again that James is one of the more inventive producers in the UK right now.
I was already vibing real good but then I just noticed that Baths is featured. I COMPLETELY LOST MY SHIT. I need new music from him right now that even a feature makes me so goddamn excited. He and Loraine did such a great job building a symbiotic relationship with both of their sounds.
Some pretty tasty beats here and there, but it struggles to maintain my attention for its entire runtime, as there are some rather amateur sounding production techniques on this thing.
Standout: Self doubt
Favs: Black ting, Running like that, Built to Last
Least fav: Reflection
Reflection, the sophomore album from UK electronic producer Loraine James is a fantastic listen to get completely lost in. Not only does she create highly vibrant and engaging beats that twist, turn and wobble you down to your soul, these tracks also have the ability to carry along an array of vocalist and make it all work. For those looking for a more obscure IDM route, tracks like “Let's Go”, “Self Doubt (Leaving the Club Early)”, “Reflection” and ... read more
It's like Arca's early works, with more emphasis on the rhythmic, pulsating parts.
Built to Last - 8,5/10 🤍
Let's Go - 7,5/10 🤍
Simple Stuff - 5/10
Black Ting - 7/10 🤍
Insecure Behaviour and Fuckery - 6/10
Self Doubt (Leaving the Club Early) - 6,5/10 🤍
On the Lake Outside - 4/10
Reflection - 5/10
Change - 3/10
Running Like That - 7,5/10 🤍
We're Building Something New - 6/10
1 | Built to Last 2:17 feat. Xzavier Stone | 63 |
2 | Let's Go 3:40 | 63 |
3 | Simple Stuff 3:26 | 60 |
4 | Black Ting 4:17 feat. Le3 BLACK | 56 |
5 | Insecure Behaviour and Fuckery 4:59 feat. Nova | 57 |
6 | Self Doubt (Leaving the Club Early) 4:33 | 79 |
7 | On the Lake Outside 4:51 feat. Baths | 75 |
8 | Reflection 3:30 | 73 |
9 | Change 7:12 | 80 |
10 | Running Like That 4:19 feat. Eden Samara | 80 |
11 | We're Building Something New 2:31 feat. Iceboy Violet | 77 |
#4 | / | The Vinyl Factory |
#5 | / | Magnetic |
#6 | / | The Quietus |
#13 | / | Norman Records |
#19 | / | Gorilla vs. Bear |
#21 | / | PopMatters |
#21 | / | Slant Magazine |
#31 | / | Beats Per Minute |
#39 | / | Pitchfork |
#42 | / | Treble |