Sam Gellaitry’s commercial debut lacks the texture it deserves

“Viewfinder Vol.1: PHOSPHENE” (2019), courtesy of SoundCloud

I was put onto Scottish producer Sam Gellaitry by some friends — you know who you are — around 2017, coinciding with the release of the third installment in his “Escapism” EP series. “Escapism III” was an enveloping and variant blur of electronic textures, teeming with life — a seemingly rare feat for any electronic music with that many layers.

“Viewfinder Vol.1: PHOSPHENE” is not only a wordy entry to the commercial album sphere, but an inconsistent one. “Escapism III” presented a constant audio gestalt shift where each revelation inspired a more rewarding listen. The detours and deviations and little nuggets of detail on “PHOSPHENE” are sometimes worth the effort, and other times dull.

It’s with some frustration that I can’t fully express my feelings on this album — I’m simply not that familiar with electronic music. But whereas past entries felt like an Akiyoshi Kitaoka piece, “PHOSPHENE” feels more like a Monet. Pretty, but static.

RATING: 3/5