On the latest from Fragile X, the windswept and cavernous Between Worlds, musician/producer J. Gorecki goes deep into cosmic soundscapes and ambient vibes. Listening to this album is like deep-diving into the universe’s psyche. The sound of existential static at the end of some galactic phone line that seemingly reaches to and past infinity.
Between Worlds continues the sonic scope and journey of past Fragile X albums, but seems even richer and deeper than before. Maybe the pandemic has something to do with that. J. Gorecki had time to ponder it all under social distancing restrictions, opening his head and heart a little more and allowed Fragile X to reach inward a little deeper. Though maybe I’m just projecting my own existential crisis on this album. Either way, it’s a deep journey.
It’s not all swaths of sound textures and monochromatic visions. “Leaving Oblivion”, for example, opens like that. But soon enough a techno beat is summoned from the depths and takes this space drift into more danceable territory. At least, in a zoned-out way. Even the nearly 10-minute “Hiraeth”, in all its brooding depth and sonic darkness, has touches of light with a bouncing synth line amidst it all.
But there’s plenty of brooding ambient juggernauts here, like album opener “Echo Outpost Terrain Music”. Bell-like tones bounce around like light shining through a frost-covered window. A sound that resembles that feeling of waking after a long night of sleep, slowly and steadily rising to consciousness’ surface. “Beyond The Shadows” sits in a cloud of wakefulness. Not light nor dark, just in the middle where at any moment you could fall into either/or. “Dusk Chorus” might be the strangest musical moment. There’s a mild discomfort that comes over you as this song pulsates from some dark place. There’s a real sci-fi vibe here, as if the ship is in imminent danger and there’s not a damn thing you can do about it.
The musical world of Fragile X is always an interesting and engaging one. Between Worlds paints an aural world of sonic darkness and light. Cascading electronic tones that work out a mysterious journey over nearly an hour of forward-thinking music.
7.9 out of 10
Between Worlds is available now via Soundtracking The Void. Buy it here.
Complex Distractions 
Nope, you’re not projecting. I hear it too.
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