Samantha Glass “Surface Water Perception”

I readily admit that while I have long been a huge fan of Beau Devereaux’s Samantha Glass project, it’s still a little hard for me to sing his praises as loudly as I’d like because I am generally against the idea of dudes using female monikers (Lauren Martin did a great piece on this earlier in the year).  That being said, Surface Water Perception is quickly becoming my favorite Samantha Glass album.

While there’s a sense of the familiar with Surface Water Perception (at least if you’re a fan of Samantha Glass’ previous work), the overriding minimalism that inhabits all corners of the album is what sets this apart from his other records and tapes.  As a person also obsessed with William Gibson, Neal Stephenson, etc, when I hear the disconnected robotic vocals over a stringent sea of electronics on “Complexion” I can’t help but be transported into the Metaverse.  Tracks like “Placement” and “Outsider Family” writhe beneath waves of tension, adding an ominous layer that even the brightest smiles on Surface Water Perception can’t shake.  There’s certainly surprising elements of whimsy on the wavering leads of “Creators Balance” and watery-bloops of “A Traveler’s Price,” but it’s a ruse.  This is Samantha Glass pulling no punches and leading us into the darkness.

Surface Water Perception is out now Sacred Phrases.