Exiting the club through a mountain range, Loraine James’ alter ego quickly attains a soaring ambience. ‘Whatever the Weather’ is not a complete departure from her previous work, rather an amplification of her gorgeous, soft possibilities. The cover, sun rising over an ice-cap, poignantly expresses the visceral glimmer of the record, visualising the effects that occur when warm meets cool, or vice versa. For a theme that could have internally clashed, James’ ear for cohesion permits a stunning clarity. Always focused on the sequence, James frequently shifts her timbres, echoing the natural sway of the raw elements by which she is palpably enamoured.
25/30
A favourite: ‘6°C’
‘Whatever the Weather’ is out now via Ghostly International.
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