Not one, not ten, not twenty… but thirty-nine. That’s how many tracks L*o*J have decided to include on Afterhere. In today’s age of stream-friendly track lengths, short EPs, and frequent single releases, it’s not often that we get to see a substantial collection of music drop all at once, but L*o*J has graciously obliged us all today.
Hard on the heels of the release of their Botanicals EP last month, Afterhere spans projects that date all the way back to 2014 in some instances. Each track is like a photograph pinned on a corkboard, together serving as a collection of snapshots into the duo’s progression as artists. Some of these projects are complete, some are incomplete, some are collaborations that haven’t seen the light of the day… all are distinctly L*o*J, replete with their heavy percussion swing, tribal instrumentation, and grimy basslines.
If you’re wondering what prompted the pair to release these tracks now, they break it down saying, “The decision to release this collection of tracks was driven by a culmination of factors. But mostly we felt a sense of weight to share our musical development with our audience. Some of these projects date back until 2014 while incomplete, carry an important spirit that resonates deeply with our journey as an artist.Giving our close listeners a deeper understanding of our musical evolution. Also there is no reason to let it languish on a hard drive, why not spreading your experiments and imperfections with the world.”
While the project features some tracks that are technically incomplete, the duo expand on the importance each played in their artistic evolution, “To refine one’s skills, a dedicated investment of time in exploring diverse genres and styles is essential. While not every experiment leads to a finished project, they’ve been instrumental in positively molding our music production skills. That’s why these projects hold a special place in our hearts, they’ve been integral to our artistic journey.”
Listening to these tracks I often found myself questioning, “What on Earth was it about this track that didn’t make the cut?” Sure, not every track hits as hard as the rest, but I’ll be damned if my jaw wasn’t agape at some of these (‘Grime’ in particular had me out of my seat). I get the impression that L*o*J are true perfectionists with their art, and to go and show the world what even they themselves might consider to be imperfect demands a lot of respect on our part as listeners. Let’s all give this collection the attention it deserves.
