Anysia Kym & Loraine James - Clandestine
Anysia Kym and Loraine James' Clandestine EP is a stunning blend of R&B and sensory ambient treats. The duo's partnership brings together not only a nostalgic twist on UK ambient but also manages to inject a British brand of shoegaze shimmer into each track, which brings an early bird freshness from one perspective and a dour, rainy evening vibe from another.
Spare beats flit between sluggish emotional meanders and high-energy expressive changes. Tracks can change on a dime, like with 'new links', where the sudden rush into breakneck speed signals a new ignition of passion, only for things to crash back to a snail's pace again. Storytelling and intent are driving factors that make for a "Clandestine" look into the heart of the record. The closer, 'like a dove,' also captures similar feelings, but this time, heavy-weight percussion slams in contrast to floaty arpeggios that use wobbly LFOs to inject outsider hip-hop directly into the veins of the beat.
The duo's use of chopped-and-screwed sampling is evident throughout the record, stimulating the pleasure centres in the brain associated with rap and R&B. Longer melodic sections are often cut down and looped to achieve more rhythmic sections, as heard on 'sentimental' that chops glassy textures into rhythmic glitches. These sampling principles extend the musical motifs, allowing multiple moods and energies to be developed from a singular idea.
The whole EP captures this raw percussive ambience popularised in recent years by acts such as Space Afrika and Lee Gamble from the UK. Early Internet nostalgia is threaded throughout. The album incorporates hazy textures reminiscent of playing your latest line wire rip through the tragic desktop wired speakers that came with your thick monitored PC. This lo-fi digital grit is evident throughout the opener, 'tension,' and 'shy (interlude)', evoking old website and blog builders like Tumblr and Myspace.
The vocals throughout are soft and are sung absent-mindedly at points. Anysia Kym effortlessly transitions between nonchalance and more heartfelt tones. This characterful singing style adds so much to the storytelling in the EP. It feels voyeuristic to listen to, almost like the webcams being left on at the end of a Skype call. The performance is subtle and even shy but full of realism. The absence of power doesn't vocalise the realms of performance, allowing the story to unfold naturally.
Tracklist:
tension
new links
like a dove
sentimental
sky (interlude)
Label: 10K (2025)
Anysia Kym & Loraine James - Clandestine
