loam reviews:

Interview with Loam at OnMilwaukee.com

Terra Obscura - CD (Topscore 7)

(from Vital Weekly)
Out of the blue, out of nowhere, comes a sublime reckoning called 'Terra Obscura'!  This is what one might even call the next great record that Maeror Tri never released, but by divine intervention of a virtual newcomer.  On his second full-length effort, Loam (James Warchol) compiles a wiggly whirr and coy sound effects, to ascertain a particular dimensional vibe that is built methodically with brilliant lightness of being.  'L@dy n My Life', while supposedly using a Michael Jackson one note sample (good luck rummaging for it), takes funky warm overtones to blissful highs and lows.  This disc is subliminally seductive, and it's not completely clear why, but it works its magic, locking the listener in its thick, fog-like haze of harmony - no doubt a testament to Warchol's many years playing guitar alongside bandmates in Sometime Sweet Susan.  On 'Long Min Live' the upshot is something that could be easily confused for the newest record on the Raster-Noton imprint, ticking, a bit nervously, built on a geyser-like drone.  The ulterior 'Middle Inlet' gallops and roundly tinkers with a curious repetition.  In conclusion Loam descends, naked on "Wrong Tack" in all its watery translucence. Here, an open space becomes an audio playground, slowly filling up, broader and wider, until thinks crackle and dissipate slowly from all reason.  This nearly twelve minute gem is that falling star you missed.  It is great to know that this artist has already employed his hand in the area of site-specific installation as the work certainly harkens to atmospheric spaces.  And there's more coming soon on an EP called '1:11' also from TopscoreUSA.  Watch, wait and listen (closely). (TJN)

(from LOOP, translated)
A dose of dark ambiance - James Warchol's "Loam" has just released a new album, which is elegantly presented in a rectangular carton by Crouton Music, and limited to 500 copies. Loam is just one of the many interesting acts on Crouton's roster, which also includes Jarboe [ex-Swans] and the post-industrial group Hafler Trio.

Warchol is ex-guitarist of the band of rock Sometime Sweet Susan, and the influence of his solo forays into the world of electronic music are front and center on this latest album. Loam utilizes feedback in a manner that reminds one of Main and My Bloody Valentine, particularly in the first two pieces, " We have negative " and "Chlos". " L@dy in my Life" echos Michael Jackson's "Thriller": an ambient piece with the periodic hammering of one beat.

The sampling of sonic odds and ends create a slightly sordid and noisy backdrop on "Dtsk" and " Long min (live) ", the latter recorded live and manipulated by DSP. "Drpr" spins a symbiotic sample consisting of guitar and digital white noise. A subversive beat gives way to a hypnotic groove in "Middle inlet". "Sun" is another guitar-laden, sample-driven piece that segues into the moody "Wrong tack ". James Warchol as Loam offers the careful listenener complex and pleasant aural soundscapes. -Guillermo Escudero

(from Topscore press release)
"Terra Obscura, Loam’s second full-length release on the Topscore label, expands upon the textures, space, and undeniable essence of melody first explored by this artist. Since the early 90s, James Warchol has been active in music as a guitarist, which expounded into the terrain of samplers, keyboards, and software. Combining all of these elements gives us listeners what we hear in Loam today. Terra Obscura is not just another electronic record, nor is it a pop record, nor a noise record. It is a new record of elements that show a much more friendly relationship to each other than many would expect. This record brims with life and a spectrum of emotions - a challenge for many who even use purely acoustic instruments. While rhythms do form, many will be surprised to learn that you don’t need a beat to have uplifting music."

s/t - CD (Topscore 4) August 2000

(from Grooves Magazine)
"James Warchol, a.k.a. Loam, paints minimal ambient portraits with subtle harmonics and accentuated noises designed to reduce the tension and anxiety of the world that has come to be. Starting with the simple beauty of "Lucky" and its droning background tones, shuffling beat, and xylophone notes, the image conveyed is one of the listener standing high atop his/her workplace and gazing down at the tiny objects below. Sliding gracefully into "Dragon2500," Loam concocts pillowy electronic impulses sliding over deep, minimal basslines combined with a somewhat sinister melody: perhaps the soundtrack for watching silent nature films."

"The album does a tremendous job of maintaining a consistency of sound throughout songs, with throbbing rhythms interacting with ambient drones, lo-fi rumblings, and delicate melodies in a timeless fashion. Whether on the downtempo "Applict" or the darker, more ethereal "Eternal," everything fits together dynamically, though towards the end of the work, things begin to fall apart as repetition begins to seep into the musical mix. Despite these shortcomings, Loam’s first release presents a soothing and cohesive work with which to relax after a frustrating day in the modern world." -Robert Stanton

(from Nezzwork.com)
"this collection of tranquil and innocent compositions is packaged in a unique sleek pull-out cd case. topscore's fourth release that captures mysterious atmospheres with sentimental alien textures and rhythms. a very refreshing style that is slightly reminiscent of Arovane and early aphex twin's ambient work."

"tracks such as "tsds" allure you with surreal abstract melodies that drift within cold blissful atmospheres. while track eight "gin.prelude" slowly revolves around robotic vocal patches, pillow-like pulseline rhythms, and sentimental backdrops of digital threadlines. the beautiful transparent soundscapes and child-like harmonies of "lucky" opens the gateways to pleasant and colorful dreams. a very sentimental track that defines the nature of loam's reality."

"loam provides nine melancholic and blissful adventures that are sure to make your dreams a little less monochromatic."

(from Digital Artifact)
"In most respects, this CD is a very humble, DIY ambient affair.  The packaging is simple, yet attractive, and the music likewise.  Loam is the project of James Warchol from Milwaukee, and he presents nine tracks here which share an understated, unassuming quiet elegance.  His ambient soundscapes are anchored by simple bass lines and embellished with a limited palate of rudimentary melodies and subtle glitchy sound effects.  There are some sonic similarities to current German minimalist styles, but Warchol has his own moody thing going on."

"Loam didn’t make a major impact on me upon the first listen or two, but it has since grown on me quite a lot, again, in a very quiet unassuming way. There is a pleasing atmosphere here from start to finish:  lo-fi ambience for a cold, winter night."  -Brad Yost

" meditations (on ashKroft)" - mp3 (Stasisfield)

(from Paris Transatlantic Magazine)
""Meditations (on ashKroft)" by Warchol (aka Loam, also on the mp3 CDR in its entirety) is composed from samples of the US Attorney General's self-penned patriotic song "Let the Eagles Soar" (which his staff is obliged to learn by heart - way to go, Johnboy!). One imagines that Mr Ashcroft, were he not so busy disguising statues and generally being what is known in my country as a "proper pillock", would be inclined to take Warchol and tar and feather him, but he clearly has neither the time nor the necessary grey matter to appreciate such thoughtful and coherent composition."