Hoodoo Jim Delivers An Engulfing and Atmospheric Electronic SoundScape
An immersive and wild new EP release from Hoodoo Jim brings out a soirée of electronic influences that range from EDM to drum and bass, classic trance and techno, and loads more, all rolled up into one fat release that actually swallows you up and brings you into this whole other set of places that you end up getting attached to.
The reason I say that is because a lot of these songs build out atmospheres. It's not just about electronic front-facing synths and keys, but more about beats and ambient undertones.
These songs provide vastness that swallows you up, in a good way, of course.
One of the things I love most about this entire record is the simple fact that he's utilizing old- and new-school elements, and in doing so, he's sort of breeding something that's all his own.
These tracks have a familiarity to them, but at the same time, give you something refreshing.
You can sort of tell the artist's a little old school. He thrives and is influenced by certain elements of vintage electronic music, which is the kind of stuff I grew up with in the early '90s.
His stuff makes me think of that. A kind of underground electronic experimentation that gives you a lot to chew on and plenty to dance to.
It's all about rhythms, energy, and spaciousness.
If you listen carefully, each of these tracks sort of tells a story as well. It's up to the listener to depict what those stories are.
The beauty of records like this one is that each individual person will interpret it a little bit differently than the last.
I consider that to be quite a brilliant thing. Similar to classical music, this breed of electronic soundscape is something that you can get engulfed in, and while that's happening, you picture scenarios or memories in your head.
Every listener is going to take them on a different path in terms of where their minds go.
The EP is dubbed Psionics, and it kicks off with the track called "Mental Constraints," which comes right in with a steady but fast-paced beat, swirling synthesizers floating through the background that are almost like a siren, and this sort of beeping that reminds you of a heart monitor.
Right off the bat, you're getting a little bit of the deep-end type of stuff. Soon enough, the beat grows, more percussion is put in place, the intensity sort of rises, and the song builds into this almost edgy but very progressive set of melodies and tones.
It's a very interesting blend of calm and energetic, light and dark, edginess and softness.
I think that's what a lot of the record is about. Blending these elements together.
Although certain elements of the tracks stick to their guns, the percussive aspect of it seems to almost be ever-changing. It does get more intense with effects and more additional beats that feel more alternative, in a sense.
I love a song that is arranged like this because it grows in intensity as it plays through.
"Telepathy" has a little bit of a quirkier undertone, slightly more colorful, but still experimental, utilizing different kinds of synths that feel thin and wobbly as the song unfolds.
This track, as a whole, has a bit of a delicate feel. It doesn't really get super hard-hitting at any point in time, but rather keeps this almost lighthearted kind of tonality intact and in place.
There's a great combination of textures and tones on this one, but then again, the entire EP has loads of that.
This is one of those records you should be listening to with headphones on so you can soak all of those layers in.
Meanwhile, tracks like "Remote Viewing" definitely showcase a little bit more of that experimental and outreaching style.
One of my favorite things about this whole release is that it branches out in all these different directions but still has this consistency that keeps the songs confluent and connected with each other. It feels like a concept record, and it probably is.
The concept is more mental and emotional than anything else. You can feel certain elements of calmness or tension throughout a lot of the songs.
Those rise and fall throughout the EP, and I think that's a big aspect to why it was put together in the first place.
I think records like this are cathartic for artists like Hoodoo Jim, who use their skills at producing and creating music to express those kinds of emotions.
One thing is for sure, these aren't just dry mixes. He doesn't just take a synthesizer and let it ride. He sound-sculpts. I think he's in a zone when he is creating these pieces of music. He's alone, in his bubble, away from the world.
It sounds therapeutic and likely is for him.
For the listener, it's like an experience. I would definitely suggest checking the entire thing out, once again with headphones on so you could really have that full experience.
Again, this is an experimental but classic-style electronic release, blending multiple subgenres together and just building atmospheres left and right, creating moods and letting you sort of ride them out.
Some tracks are over 7 minutes long, while others are under 5 minutes, but either way, there's enough here to really create a bit of an escape and tell a little bit of a story as well.
So, don't miss out on this one, and remember where you heard it first.
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