Saying that we are good fans of Real J. would be such an understatement. Real J. is one of our closest friends, we are following him since day-one, we organized dozens of gigs together, inviting K15, Laurence Guy, WOLF Music, Byron The Aquarius, Francis Inferno Orchestra, and more. Yet, he never stopped to surprise us. This new « Memory Screen » LP on Waxtefacts might be the biggest surprise ever, and a clear evidence of his undeniable creative genius.
Indeed, this « Memory Screen » LP is approached with a distinctively different execution of style, as opposed to his previous releases on Waxtefacts and WOLF Music. This new approach is the result from « a bunch of distorted sonic memories deriving from early childhood until present » as stated by the artist.
Expect the unexpected, leave aside the sample-based housy anthems, make a warm welcome to a collection of atmospheric heavy-weight slams, with sprinkles of sunshine, and experience transitions between heavy drums and haunting industrial feels.
Opening the LP is the electro/breakbeat beast « Sweet Anxiety », available below, a completely new genre for Real J., explored in style, with distorted drums and a theatening sound constantly evolving throughout the track. A masterpiece on his own!
A2 track featuring Kerstone keeps the syncopated breakbeat drums approach, this time with compressed series of kicks and the above-mentioned « sprinkles of sunshine » brought by atmospheric uplifting synths.
« Cool Lester Smooth » is closing the A-side on a brighter note, reminiscing us the past Real J. productions from 2017 but with a fresh – and downtempo – take, similarly as he recently did on his « Computer Funk » track on the label Broken District.
B-side closer « Greetings From Bordeaux » also offers a lighter atsmopshere as opposed to the precise, rusty productions delivered by the artist on the LP.
In these industrial veine, it would be a real shame to overlook the 2 other tracks of the release, starting with the extraordinary work performed by the artist on the B1 track « Transmission 7 » featuring Glenn Astro. This Aphex Twin-esque craftwork, lurring around IDM with its complex rhythms and sound artefacts, is definitely the other masterpiece of the LP.
Finishing our little review, B2 track « Bucks As From 5 Bucks » is a heavy-weighted broken-techno production similar to what we could often hear on Skee Mask’s outstanding discography. Note: this tune is a surprising reinterpretation of Librarian‘s « Dog Paradise », released on Waxtefacts in 2019. A must listen.
Good things take time – I don’t see a better expression to summarize this outstanding release. YES we waited a long time to hear some new music from Real J., but it was worth the wait. The only counterpart? Now we can’t wait to listen to his future music!
« Memory Screen » from Real J. is now available in every good records shop. You can grab it on Juno.