The solo project of Wisconsin producer/drummer Jordan Cohen, Chants resurfaces with his third full-length album 'We Are All Underwater,' due out October 30th on Seattle-based label Hush Hush. Over the two years that have passed since his sophomore album 'I Feel Like I Feel It' (Hush Hush), Chants has continued to captivate ears with his unique style through steady remix work and contributions to the 'Heterotopia' compilation series (curated by L.A. left-field club label Astral Plane Recordings). Earlier this year, one of his kalimba-driven productions made its way to emerging Milwaukee MC WebsterX for his breakout single “Doomsday,” an underground sensation that quickly gained critical recognition and introduced his sound to a new audience.
All of these varied creations paved the way for 'We Are All Underwater,' a mesmerizing album and summation of Chants’ multifaceted sound. Exploring both immersive, introspective textures and more physical beats geared for club speakers, Chants has found a harmonious equilibrium between these two disparate styles. The opening two tracks quickly indicate this balance, the loose and cinematic instrumental “We Are” leading into “All Underwater,” a shape-shifting future pop anthem that features vocals from Mereki, a Los Angeles artist that has previously collaborated with Sky Ferreira and Kylie Minogue. Twisting her vocals through slicing claps, buzzing synths, and a labyrinth of low-end, the song’s aqueous tone laid the groundwork for the sonic and emotional direction for the album.
Flowing in and out of contemplative downtempo passages and more viscerally kinetic singles, We Are All Underwater is guided by Chants’ evolved production style while also allowing room for his guest collaborators to shine. Mereki appears once again on the dynamic single “Gossamer,” fellow Madison-based vocalist Jentri Colello adds an ethereal touch on “Blue Holes,” and blossoming Milwaukee-via-LA producer Riley Lake contributes a trans-human vocal to “Halogen.” Chants’ crafty creation process is on full display on “Submersed,” an instrumental track composed entirely of sounds recorded at his day job and re-purposed into an intricately detailed sound world. Concluding in true collaborative spirit, the album wraps up with an enveloping and dystopic remix of “All Underwater” from Seattle-based electronic producer and Hush Hush flagship artist Kid Smpl.
Additional musicians:
Tony Barba - bass clarinet on "We Are"
Mereki Beach - vocals on "All Underwater" and "Gossamer"
Riley Lake - vocals on "Halogen"
Boom Forest - vocals on "Burbling" and "Oxygen Loops"
Jentri Colello - vocals on "Blue Holes"
Frank Matin Lawrence - guitar on "Oxygen Loops"
supported by 11 fans who also own “We Are All Underwater”
The sort of music that is beyond time.
The sort of music that you feel more than you hear.
I love the fact that vaporwave/dreampunk projects like these have such extremely evocative aesthetics they directly fill your mind with sensations you didn't know you had. You'd maybe think it relies on that solely, but it's coupled with gorgeous musicianship + intense production ideas. The volume and spaces it creates just pull you in instantly whatever your initial mood was.
Still stunning to this day. SUPRAQUENCER
supported by 9 fans who also own “We Are All Underwater”
As I drift away from the Earth and all its chaos, its gleam reduces to a speck in the vast cosmos surrounding me. I close my eyes and take my solace among the ocean of stars. Christopher Nolan
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