It took us a while to fully understand ‘Nothing On The Grid’, and frankly, we are not actually sure we do. You see, the album is rather unique, sui generis, as academics would define it. Built on playful, edgy electronica with a certain nostalgic flair, the record appears to borrow from a variety of genres with heightened eclecticism, making for an aural journey that’s striking, memorable and truly hard to predict. Perhaps that’s the biggest compliment we can give to American musician and creative Alec La Roche: his music is unpredictable, meaning truly original and personal.
Hailing from California, La Roche is known by day as a talented bassist, and in that regard, he’s enjoyed a long career in the Americana scene as a performer all across the US. ‘Nothing On The Grid’ sees him distil a great deal of influences into music that’s inherently quirky and authentic, showcasing his kaleidoscopic artistry and wide-ranging taste. Recorded on analogue machines, the album carries wholly electronic sounds, so much so as to remind us of videogame soundtracks and mobile ringtones. Alec’s vocals are heavily processed into vocoders and effects.
Delving deeper into his work, La Roche explains: “This project is me finally finding the intersection of everything I’ve lived musically. From punk basement shows to jazz clubs to Americana tours, it’s all here – but reimagined through an electronic lens. I wanted it to move, to breathe, to hit with that same urgency I felt as a kid discovering sound.”
Recommended! Discover ‘Nothing On The Grid’ on Spotify:
