Album Review: Gentle Confrontation by Loraine James

'Gentle Confrontation' perfectly exemplifies the positive impact of the strong influence of modernity on current society.

Courtesy of Hyperdub.

The more time passes, the greater and more aggravating the implications of technology become in our society. The optimization of information gathering from our electronic devices to international levels, which was once seen as an unattainable evolution for humanity, is now a reality to which the world is so adapted that it could not even exist in its absence. Nowadays, if you need transportation, just a few touches on your cellphone screen and voila!

A driver will be ready to transport you to your destination in front of your residence in about two to three minutes. As observed, human inventions have always aimed to provide convenience, satisfaction, and comfort to their lives. There are certain occasions in which this deception has been violated or distorted in favor of people’s perverse desires, as in the case of the creation of firearms, for example. However, this pretext continues to be written between the lines of every new scientific invention, and among them is the most inventive and accessible musical instrument of all time: the computer.

After the creation of the first computer prototype by George Stibitz in 1937 and the subsequent development of more advanced and better-executed versions of this device, it gained a utility of indispensable importance and influence for musicians, specifically music producers. Through the infinite diversity of functions in this intelligence, these professionals gained a faster, more practical, and more accessible means to express their ideas and emotions. It’s not like I’m trying to say that they discovered a great “facilitator” for generating their art in technology.

Far from it, the ingenuity of this modernization is immense. It is challenging to master until its use becomes simple or uncomplicated. What I’m trying to communicate is that, after this innovation in the artistic realm, people have a closer relationship with music and can now express their feelings in the most raw and honest way possible, as is the case with the brilliant British producer Loraine James, whose latest release, Gentle Confrontation, perfectly exemplifies this.

Gentle Confrontation, Loraine James’ fifth studio album, according to the artist herself, is the final result of establishing order and continuing with the music she created during her recording sessions in the studio, where she allowed all her conflicting emotions about her past to run freely and imprinted her influences on contemporary R&B alongside the melodies of her characteristic IDM and progressive glitch hop sound. It is a very experimental and unique album, born from a journey by the musician to the most intimate places within herself. The first tourist spot in her story, to which Loraine is willing to take us, is the fateful moment when she lost her father in “2003.”

Initially, James sings:

“When I was seven, my dad went to Heaven, possibly/I looked at the sky, uncertainty/It hurt me, uncertainty.”

James describes all the confusion she felt as a child through the use of different meanings of the word “certainty,” as shown in the track’s chorus. Then, in the second verse, the producer pays tribute to her mother, saying that she protected and cared for her even though she was utterly shattered inside. In the production of the track, she develops the idea of ​​uncertainty and confusion brought in the lyrics with an intriguing sound of progressive and ambient electronics, where there is an incidence of computational musical notes with oscillating characters and the impression of different textures and nuances to create an intimate atmosphere.

Next, Loraine unfolds the palatable inconstancy of “2003” production into the delightful cadence of UK bass beats in “Let U Go.” In this track, James takes us to a point in time closer to her present, referring to a romantic disappointment suffered by the musician. In an exemplary way, the composer breaks down all the complexity of her emotions and the situation she previously found herself in a very concise and conscious lyric, talking about how she has to let that person go and move on with her life. Speaking like this might seem like a simple breakup song, but reading it thoroughly reveals that this is false.

Later, we heard about the formidable collaboration between Loraine and RiTchie, one of the former group Injury Reserve members and the recently inaugurated By Storm—“Déjà Vu.” In this partnership, James is willing not to have any vocal participation and allows the spotlight to be solely pointed at his collaborator, acting only behind the scenes. The excellence of the rapper’s vocal performance stands out remarkably in the track, with long verses that extend from the beginning to almost half of the song; however, it is also necessary to point out the sublimity of the experimental production delivered by the producer, whose sound rescues some structural ideas of the inconsistency of “2003,” the vibrant energy of “Let U Go,” and also some typical sound elements of progressive electronic music and drill and bass.

Further on, “I DM U” is a dazzling instrumental track featuring one of Loraine’s most epic productions ever made. In this song, James mixes percussion and drum beats, the textures and sound nuances of the glitch-hop genre, and the ambient’s tender and introspective atmosphere, producing a sensational and very satisfying solution. We also listened to other stupendous songs, such as “Speechless,” a collaboration with singer George Riley, whose sound focuses the heaviest weight of James’ influence on contemporary R&B, resembling quite a bit the works of Kelela and even Ravyn Lenae—thanks to Riley’s light vocal timbre, “Disjointed (Feeling Like a Kid Again),” which refers a little to Skrillex’s discography, “I’m Trying to Love Myself,” and finally, “Saying Goodbye” with Contour.

Gentle Confrontation is an excellent, fluid, and consistent album. However, the lack of a boost in the album’s second half or some critical turning point that would break the monotony of specific productions makes it a bit too predictable. However, this flaw needs to be more significant to significantly diminish the satisfaction felt by the listener when finishing listening to it. After all, as mentioned earlier, the album is excellent. The UK bass and drill beats in this project, unlike the ones we heard a lot in the mainstream scene lately, sound genuinely exciting and well-crafted, thanks to the implementation of glitch-hop and progressive electronic music and the collaborators brought by James (like RiTchie or George Riley) greatly enrich their respective songs with insightful and excellent vocal performances.

One could wonder, observing the long journey that music has taken over all these decades and analyzing all the changes that have occurred in its constitution and the future ahead of us, a genuine feeling of satisfaction fills my chest. Never in the history of humanity have so many people connected so much with art as at the present moment. There are indeed several problems involving technology and the various harm its use brings to our society.

Still, it is undeniable how beneficial the proximity it has brought between the consumer and the product is. More than just an easier way to obtain an esteemed item, modernity, and its innovations have connected people more strongly to art and each other. Several delicious fruits are borne from this invaluable connection, like Gentle Confrontation itself, which could never have been made if modernism had not impacted our daily lives. Let this be a lesson: everything has its downside and upside; both should not be ignored, but the latter should always be highlighted.

Great (★★★★☆)

Favorite(s): “2003,” “Déjà Vu,” “I DM U”