Led by New York-based composer Dash Lunde, VPC Ensemble presents Life Is a Strange Loop: Side A, a recursive meditation on consciousness. Intertwining electric viola, flute, samplers, and wordless vocals, the improvisational collective blends ambient space jazz with electroacoustic textures, yielding a deeply immersive and tranquil sonic environment.
“New Life” opens the album with lovely, serene immersion—atmospherically invoking the calmness of the sea in its initial gentle chiming, woodwind caressing, and infusion of chirpy effects, resembling dolphins in communication. Spacey synths infuse seamlessly throughout, as do escalating guitar tones that whir with enjoyable momentum. This blissful opener then leads into “Fleeting,” a track fondly reminiscent of more rock-tinged Oneohtrix Point Never in its melding of frequency-like electronic simmering and soaring guitar lines. Pitter-pattering percussion and ghostly, wordless hums complete the astonishing mix.
Another gem is the aptly titled track “Gorgeous,” which closes the release. A free-flowing atmospheric quality reveals itself within, with touches of electric viola melding with haunting choral harmonies. The result sounds delectably otherworldly, serene though also with palpable momentum as the melodic layers and pulsing instrumentation evolve with satisfying elegance. A thoroughly impressive display of soundscape-driven production, Life Is a Strange Loop: Side A is an excellent standout release from VPC Ensemble.
In addition to Dash Lunde, the project’s working collective of improvisers include:
Evan Pittson (Pittson Family Band) on electric viola
lee hooper (Solange, Las Mariquitas) on flute and pedals
Zachary Berns (zbeeez, Kelsey Lu) on drums
Alexia Charoud (Tentative) on vocals
Kacie Boblitt (Sleep No More, Metropolitan Opera) dancing in wearable percussion
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“New Life” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup.
The post VPC Ensemble – ‘Life Is a Strange Loop: Side A’ appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.
