Emerging from the glitchy heart of Boston’s underground scene, JAKEWITHSPACES! is one of the most innovative and daring experimental producers of today. “DOPEFUMEMIDI,” their new album, is not an album; it is an experience. Across 18 unruly tracks, JAKEWITHSPACES! Upends the idea of genre by reconstructing it into a digital collage that is simultaneously futuristic and nostalgic, jarring and twinge-worthy. Rather than demanding attention, this is music that commandeers it.
DOPEFUMEMIDI is seemingly an act of resistance against perfection. Each distortion, each clipped drum hit, each warped vocal sample is all intentional. The record does not glide; it stumbles, twitches, and glitches about in kaleidoscopic soundscapes that are cracked mirrors of internet culture, urban angst, and late-night inventiveness. It feels as if JAKEWITHSPACES! has discovered a way to render the disjointed data of an overstimulated world into rhythm and texture.
With opening tracks like "THE SILENCE" and "MY SOUL, THE ANTIDOTE," the album establishes itself as off-kilter, eerie, and captivating. The magnificent "DOPE FUMES" epitomizes the identity of the project: intoxicating, gritty, and addictive. Then there's " $ $ $ $ " (ft. ZekeUltra), which discusses chaos and confidence through a warped conversation, combining sharp lyricism with an experimental sound design. "MIC HISS" and "PAVEMENT LEAK 2222" fully inhabit the world of lo-fi noise and warped MIDI grit, making them perfect for playlists that exist in the world of Alternative Hip-Hop, Leftfield Beats, or Experimental Lo-Fi.
There is an artistic statement beyond the sonic experimentation of JAKEWITHSPACES!. They are not interested in making something that fits neatly in a streaming-ready box. They are deliberately embracing imperfection as an aesthetic to contrast the overproduced sterility of much of today's music. Each track on DOPEFUMEMIDI feels alive with personality and like it could fall apart at any moment, but never does. The sense of instability is part of the beauty.
The one-hundred percent DIY production mentality adds to the impact of the record. Every sound, every synth patch, every twisted MIDI line was thought of and created by JAKEWITHSPACES!. It's a reminder that real creativity does not come from access; it comes from obsession. The visual direction of the album, also done by JAKEWITHSPACES!, has the same ethos- raw, surreal, and dripping with a digital attitude.
Tracks like "FELT SO COLD, HOW THE NIGHT HAD SPOKE" and "ONE FOOT IN THE DOOR, ONE FOOT OUT THE DOOR" expose unexpected nuance under the distortion, meditative, melancholy interludes that imply some sort of emotional foundation situated beneath the clamor. And on the other hand, "RECOUNT IT / CLONE ME" provides closure to this record with near-cinematic qualities, a comprehensive ending for a collection that feels inherently like some fever dream algorithm or otherwise.
DOPEFUMEMIDI is not music for background enjoyment. It is, in a way, an act of resistance, an act of indicating a refusal to tidy the definitions of genre as well as the neat predictability of digital and algorithmic functions; a stance that perhaps embraces messiness. JAKEWITHSPACES! is plowing their own lane where Hip Hop collides with electronic noise and art meets resistance.
Follow JAKEWITHSPACES! for more amazing updates and performances:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jakewithspaces/
Twitter(X): https://x.com/jakewithspaces?s=11&t=0uqEyG576MMCg_BXXIuzmg
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jakewithspaces
Bandcamp: https://jakewithspaces.bandcamp.com/
Website: https://rapslycooper.komi.io