No matter how many times it is said, the cosmic g-funk sounds of vaporwave are not dead. Fake news, y’all. That blissed-out merging of MALL MUSIC MUZAK, constant online consumerism, and sweet, sweet nostalgia is here for the long haul - especially now that it seems to be taking root in hip-hop. I see AND hear you, Astroworld.
The proof this week of vaporwave’s longevity comes from the re-release of a certifiable CLASSIC from that microgenre of electronic music. Sic Records, a leader in futurefunk lo-fi sounds, brings Vector Graphics’ DESTINE back into circulation, reigniting the trippy torch that is this release’s six-song legacy. The slow-and-low tempo chopped up here STILL makes for one hell of a stretched-out listen. {googleads}
The interstellar trip into the hallucinogenic haze of the bygone era begins with the crystallization of static itself as Nu Shooz’s “Driftin’” gets cosmically sedated for extreme listens out on the dance floor. The vapor is strong with this one. Through the blissed-out static, we slide into a lo-fi groove that immediately puts listeners in a glassy-eyed mood for endless neon nights of diamonds and colors.
Most of those familiar with this gem of a release already anticipate the highs of “Destine”, the second song on the album. The slowed down success of this song, transforming First Light’s “Loving You” into vaporwave currency, puts everyone under the influence of ONE GROOVE and it comes from a tricked-out combination of two songs from Mike Francis: “This Love” and “Ballad”. Mixed here with God-like skills, “Destine” transports us into another dimension of department store music one might hear on a distant moon.
The third track, “Alba83”, is blissfully laid back, aiming its reach toward the chilled-out sonic waves of melancholy and nostalgia thanks to all its manufactured gauze. It doesn’t force itself on the listener, but manages to cast its spell through distorted beats and an iced tempo that immediately paints the sky black. And, thankfully, it is made complete due to some well-timed VHS audio tracking effects.
The repurposed hits keep coming, though, and “7PM” blasts into our ears with its tasty candy-coated keyboard attack of R&B grooves. This song, in the brief time that it spends thumping through our skull, takes The Whispers’ “Rock Steady” to task with the flexibility that only vaporwave and its aesthetic offers. The result is a new creation of chopped-up beats and spacey synths.
And then comes the classic feels of “Drapes” and all that it tucks within its auditory fabrics. This song is vaporwave royalty: smooth, referential, and a rather loopy ode to the internet culture that accepts the fact that this genre of music is NO JOKE; it takes skills to produce tracks as slick as this one.
With “Conus” bringing the chillwaves of this rescued classic release to a dramatic close, this release from Vector Graphics proves to be effortlessly organic in its abilities to flex moods and aesthetics that live far beyond its 15-minute running time. In the swirl of internet meme-infused culture, DESTINE has the power to influence and infiltrate the soul.
Our beloved DESTINE is back!
Support Sic Records and Vector Graphics and buy DESTINE here: https://sicrecords.bandcamp.com/album/destine
