Futurism Restated #74: James Devane on Kompakt Homages, Randomized Rhythms, and Fast-Forward Fugues
The nomadic electronic musician untangles the secrets behind his cryptic and hypnotic productions
When I first discovered James Devane, with his 2022 album Beauty Is Useless, it felt like the second coming of one of my favorite styles. The album’s carefully sculpted aesthetic—muted 4/4 kicks; shirred synths; squalls of delay spinning endlessly toward the horizon—seemed so specific, it had to be inspired by a very specifi…
