Inji - By LA Priest
ALBUM TITLE: Inji
ARTIST: LA Priest
GENRE: Electronic / Experimental / Synthpop
LISTEN HERE: Spotify
Previously the frontman to the band Late of the Pier which disbanded in 2010, LA Priest's Sam Dust came back with a bang. After five years of musical silence in the media, Dust released Inji, the debut album of his new persona, LA Priest. The album features ten tracks that are all so eccentrically different from each other, making it evident that Dust really used this five year dormancy period to his advantage. Basically, he hid under a rock, away from society's influences and the world's chaos, and experimented to his heart's desire. Bold move, but we definitely like what we hear. Jumping from lively and rhythmic nu-disco tracks to slower, softer ballads and then everything in between, Dust combines a disarray of genres and moods into the beautifully explorative Inji.
The standout track of the album is definitely "Oino." This song actually does a good job of wholly embodying the overall vibe and funk of Inji, but it's also probably the most distinct and striking one on the record. "Oino" is masterfully dotted with syncopated rhythms and blessed with LA Priest's signature synths, creating that groovy energy that Dust is so good at producing. But of course Dust likes to keep his sound fresh and his listeners on their toes, so right in the middle of the track he hits you with an incredible, stunning guitar solo which just sings to your ears and completes "Oino," giving it the standout title it deserves. "Party Zute / Learning to Love" is another groovy favorite of mine that falls along the same sound, yet deeper cut.
Upon the lively and eccentric pieces on the album are some calmer, more atmospheric gems. "Gene Washes With New Arm" and "Fabby" are completely instrumental, both with a certain rawness and exotic feel. Dust also slows it down a bit with "Occasion", pairing the instrumental with woozy, sultry vocals. Then there's "Lady's In Trouble With the Law" which makes you want to slow dance somewhere on a tropical island. Themes of carefree remoteness and nostalgia are prevalent in these tracks, probably influenced by his own societal disconnection during that half decade he spent creating this album.
Eccentric, funky, and groovy, Inji is a complex project with a dynamic range. Although I mentioned some of my favorite tracks earlier, I'm telling you now that this jumble of an album is one hundred percent worth a listen all the way through.
Listen to Inji below.