Album Review: Nosaj Thing - Fated

Thanks to the likes of Flying Lotus and James Blake, music that would have existed only on the experimental fringes is now closer to the mainstream than ever before.

A beneficiary of this wave is L.A. producer Jason Chung, aka Nosaj Thing. Receiving massive amounts of love for his previous album, 2013’s Home, and having produced for the likes of Kendrick Lamar and Kid Cudi before that, it’s fair to say Nosaj Thing’s latest album, Fated, had become somewhat anticipated.

Cynics expecting more of a crossover effort this time around can stand down though, as Fated is essentially 15 short, warped, eerie soundscapes of seemingly random FX, disembodied, shimmering, ghostly voices and gut-churning bass drops, swirling around drum patterns that are often seemingly devoid of any sort of pattern at all. Varius, for instance, is horror movie-unsettling, Medic and Light #5 float between galaxies, while Moon and Erase open their arms for a nice warm hug before mutating and distorting into something a little too creepy to be that close. Not surprisingly though it’s the few vocal tracks that stand out. Don’t Mind Me, featuring Whoarei, traipses around the outskirts of Blake territory while Chance The Rapper adds some welcome humanity to Cold Stares with his unique flow.

Simultaneously scary, spacey and, in a twisted way, sexy, Fated is an intriguing listen.