Ando Laj - Apple
On Apple, released May 11, 2022, Ando Laj has steered into vapourwave territory. Thankfully, only stylistically, as much of the album is still comprised of ambient, light dnb, midi keys and absorbing beats. The further from glitch Laj detours, however, the less eventful his work ends up being.
Tracks that blend glitch and ambience are quite enjoyable, such as Ātman and Arc Point. No song does it nearly as well as the title track, which swifts through its reverse samples breezily. Getting to this marvellous track is quite the chore, though, as much of the track-listing is fluff. March Surf leans right into ambient, before quickly detouring into a conventional electronic track. Meadow sticks to ambient the entire way through, and is even more dull. Telescope tries to ramp up the energy but falls flat, due to the artist being unable to detach from his otherwise, sophisticated, enjoyable soundscape. Time Echo uses a similar beat technique with a more subdue tempo, though its stale beat progression sounds lifeless amidst its vibrant ambience.
Typically, the transitions and outros are quite solid, though everything around them is flat and repetitive. The dnb dsections, such as those on Eternal Shores, don’t work well since they lack energy and oomph. Their repetition typically works against the song, since the copy-pasta gets stale quickly. Only when the formerly mentioned track descends into glitch, does it become absorbing. The acoustic elements are gorgeous but are far in between; had the artist utilised them more, he could have saved the otherwise tasteless electronic elements.
No tracks on Apple are particularly bad, though none stand out. Overall, there are plenty of neat ideas, though none are well executed. This makes for an interesting, albeit frustrating listen. Certainly not as strong or impressive as Laj’s debut. Here’s hoping the artist can return to his former glory.
Average
Listen to it here:
Ando Laj - Apple
