Office – Haze
Recommendation: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Haze by Office is a totally nondescript album by a totally nondescript artist from nondescript Illinois.1 It came out on the very not-nondescript label Aloe City Records from Portsmouth, UK, which got its start in September 2015. Judging by the unremarkable title and name, it’s tempting to disregard Haze as just some random vaporwave release – which in and of itself is pretty damn vaporwave of the artist to do. The ten-track mini-album consists of short electronic vignettes with a semi-low fidelity production that elicits an atmosphere similar to classic-style vaporwave. That being said, Haze isn’t really classic-style. It utilizes similar samplism techniques and has the same dated milieu, but its aesthetic is like a downtempo Lindsheaven Virtual Plaza, which isn’t quite in the same boat as FLORAL SHOPPE or Phoenix #2772.
This album is rather simple. It begins and end with the sound of pressing a cassette button. Office usually starts off each song with a few introductory measures and then layers an additional sample that is repeated throughout the length of the song. A few songs (e.g. “Ultra”) focus the production on the beats, but by no means is this vaporhop. “Commercial Jingle” sounds like it could very well be a commercial jingle from some 70s or early-80s radio program. Belied by its title, “DarkNet™” is a downtempo hypnagogic moment that gives way to an upbeat electronic section on “Double Negative”.
Generally speaking, those who enjoy the type of vaporwave released by artists such as Lindsheaven Virtual Plaza will enjoy this. Those who aren’t as into that kind of vaporwave won’t be as interested here since Haze is just so understated, even on Aloe City Records.
Tracklist
1. Above Motion – (1:50)
2. Opaque – (2:07)
3. Commercial Jingle – (1;48)
4. Halo – (1:31)
5. Sail the Sea – (1:24)
6. Ultra – (2:24)
7. DarkNet™ – (1:25)
8. Double Negative – (1:31)
9. Load – (1:02)
10. Dread – (1:12)
1Well, debatable. Sufjan Stevens makes Illinois sound kinda cool.