Upscale Recordings’ very own Hudson Lee has built a fortuitous reputation as a musical collaborator, covering a wide berth of divergent styles and potential partners. From fellow label-head Frequent to Vorso, Fallen Noise, and a host other producers and musicians alike, he’s built his catalog around a collection of like-minded individuals, and the products of these collaborations sprawls across the vast terrain of electronic music. His most recent partner in action, Matt McWaters, is a producer and multi-instrumentalist based out of Toronto, Canada. He’s amassed an impressive list of collaborators in his own right, featuring the venerable Ta-ku, Masego, Please Wait, and more. The combination of Lee and McWaters’ intertwined musicality comes in the form of the vivacious project Loftii, and their sophomore release, The End Is Pretty, reveals a whole auditory landscape designed for easy listeners and beat-heads alike.
The End Is Pretty channels a remarkably smooth assortment of textures and modes into a twelve-track journey across moods and attitudes alike. The salient nature of the album is it’s primary strength; there are no harsh edges or massive transients crowding the stereo space, leaving an abundance of room for washy chords and blanketed harmonies. The distinctive lo-fi veneer is paired with particularly bright percussion, emphasizing the dynamic arrangement of each track. It’s difficult to discern where Lee ends and McWaters begins, as every present element fits into the wider musical puzzle with the precision and finesse touted by both artists. It’s an altogether powerful collection that showcases two minds in impressive unity.
“Any window in the world” frames the beginning of the album in a blissed-out, melodious collage of organic pads and sampled arpeggios resting on a bedrock of subtle bass and a pocketed break. It’s the kind of no frills, full service composition that tugs at the heart before it grabs at the mind; like a pebble plopping into calm water, the initial impact is just a catalyst for the wider vibratory experience around it. Sliding over to the albums finale, “The End is Pretty” is the sort of subtle goodbye that leaves behind sonic trails in the headspace. Perhaps the grooviest track on the album, it is also the most endearing of Loftii’s combined musical dynamic. With grace and liquidity, the accented chords strum along from start to finish, turning around at the pluck of every trill and triplet. At just the right moment of tension, that graceful entrance flourishes into a stereophonic chorus of supple textures and whimsical slices of soprano synthesis, bringing the album to a succinct, poignant close.
The growing number of collaborative projects amongst the world’s burgeoning and foremost electronic music producers is music to our ears, and it’s incredibly gratifying to hear the diversity in style and interpretation that comes along with these collaborations. Hudson Lee and Matt McWaters put the potential of these projects on full display, and The End Is Pretty showcases a time-honed precision in the mingling of vibe and composition. Whether you’re searching for impact, soul, or a smooth auditory experience, Loftii’s newest album is undeniably fertile ground.
FOLLOW Loftii: Bandcamp / SoundCloud
FOLLOW Hudson Lee: Bandcamp / Spotify / SoundCloud
FOLLOW Matt McWaters: Spotify / Soundcloud
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