Loraine James will release her new album, Reflection, on Hyperdub.

Reflection is the London artist’s second album on the London label, following 2019’s For You And I. She made it in the summer of last year while unable to tour and build on the success of her album full-length. Instead, she focused on her studio work and dug deep into drill and R&B, and these listening habits “seep through” across the album.

In contrast to the brash splashes of For You And I and the grimy anger of Nothing, her latest EP, Reflection is more confident, as it takes the listener through how the year felt as a young Black queer woman in a world that has stopped moving. It features several of her longtime collaborators, including Le3 bLack.

Ahead of the release, James has shared “Simple Stuff,” which consists of minimal elements. Percussion forms the backbone, with a lone bass tone inserted throughout. Running through the song is a singular lyric, an auto-tuned, monotone British declaration: “I like the simple stuff, you like the simple things—what does that bring to me?” We’re told that the lyrics are a “minimal, gentle plea” to be treated equally.

James, a product of Enfield, north London, is one of electronic music’s more adventurous artists, lauded for blending grime, jungle, and IDM with woozy ambiance and jazz. For more information on her work, check out her XLR8R podcast, an hour of abrasive electronics from north London.

Tracklisting

01. Built to Last (ft. Xavier Stone)
02. Let’s Go
03. Simple Stuff
04. Black Ting (ft. Le3 bLack)
05. Insecure Behaviour and Fuckery (ft. Nova)
06. Self Doubt (Leaving the Club Early)
07. On The Lake Outside (ft. Baths)
08. Reflection
09. Change
10. Running Like That (ft. Eden Samara)
12. We’re Building Something New (ft. Iceboy Violet)

Reflection LP is scheduled for June 4 release on Hyperdub. Meanwhile, you can pre-order here and stream the lead single, “Simple Stuff” via the player below.