As a culmination of the releases “I AM A MACHINE”, “the future, or a glitch?”, which were created in the wake of his NDE in 2017, English guitarist and composer from Salisbury, Rob Johnson Music, is releasing his new album “hi,” where he was able to forge his unique brand of Vo Electronica’s experimental instrument records.
“Throw The Sun Into The Sea” was his second album released with 10 self-produced short tracks, and the first was “Upon a Painted Ocean,” creating a highly immersive and intense audio experience with this trilogy.
Rob’s Audio Journeys dive into timeless and fascinating explorations of instrumental sounds and electronic grooves, and his 10-track album “hi” is forward-thinking and famous for its complex dramatic music, and is no exception to Rob’s work. It is a powerful, synthetic, and hypnotic show that requires all of your focus from the very first note.
“sea of skeletons” sounds noticeably different from the opening track, Johnson uses a complex vocal melody as the keystone, really leans into the Vo electronica setting, and is very skilled at crafting it.
But then in “fading orange soon,” the English artist takes you on a journey that feels so detached from what you’ve been experiencing before, that it begins to confuse you for a while before trapping you in a pit from which you can’t escape. The great electronic song is divided into several sections, each of which feels like a special moment.
The track “you will wonder” has a distinct acoustic character created by guitars. And another track called “God is laughing at your plans too” has very fun audio samples repeating different musical phrases that cleverly catch your eye.
It certainly won’t be entirely clear where Rob Johnson’s eighth album will take you, as each track seems to go a different way in both instrumentation and feel. It makes you wonder how there is music without any kind of words that can still make its way into people’s lives and carry so many complex and thoughtful meanings.
“hi” isn’t an ordinary recording; it’s a massive volume of harmony and melodies that puts you in the back of your head. Add some to your carefully chosen list.