James Tillman‘s music is produced with the kind of artistry that makes him mysterious. His debut album, Silk Noise Reflex, is an electronic take on Jazz, Soul, and R&B much in the same style as Flying Lotus. Tillman’s songwriting and vocal talents, however, prove undeniably apparent on the record, setting him aside from purely electronic producers. His melodies feel relaxed and natural, as if he created the entire work just strolling through a park. There are some universal themes that run throughout this sonic hybrid album. The search for meaning, companionship, health, and happiness seem to weave their way throughout every song. More than feeling like a cheesy self-help book, however, Tillman’s songs are measured and sure. What’s being chronicled isn’t a denial of loss, loneliness, anxiety, and insecurity, but an embracing of these realities and an insistence that they’re necessary parts of life. In this way, Silk Noise Reflex is dualistic both with its blend of electronic production and real instrumentation and in its abstract content. If you’re a fan of psychedelic, jazzy, hip hop stylel production, this is an NYC artist you’d be doing yourself a disservice to ignore.
-Andrew Strader