GENRE; Avant-Garde (Electronic)/ ChillOut/ Dream Pop/ Electronic
RELEASE DATE; 28 August, 2026
RATING; 4.3/5
“Algorithm & blues” finds Bloomfield Machine pushing its creative boundaries while maintaining the melodic sensibility that has become central to the project. Across fifteen compact tracks, Brian Kassan creates a restless meeting point between rock, electronic experimentation, classical influence, and distorted sound design. The album runs for just over thirty minutes, yet its brevity never makes the material feel slight. Instead, the concise compositions move quickly, leaving behind fragments of melody, texture, noise, and rhythm that invite closer attention.
A notable shift comes through Kassan’s increased use of guitar, bringing a stronger rock character to an album otherwise shaped by keyboards, electronic textures, and unconventional sonic treatments. Melodies remain accessible, but they are frequently surrounded by glitches, effects, and layers that disrupt their familiarity. This tension between recognisable musical ideas and unpredictable sound manipulation gives the record much of its personality. Each track feels like a small experiment with its own identity, while the sequencing creates a cohesive journey through contrasting moods and textures.
The album’s creation process is equally intriguing. Kassan describes working without a predetermined blueprint, exploring an extensive collection of sounds and beats until unexpected combinations begin to take shape. That spontaneous method gives “algorithm & blues” a sense of discovery rather than calculation. The music feels as though it has been uncovered rather than rigidly constructed, allowing instinct and experimentation to guide the direction. Ken Lee’s accompanying reflection captures this relationship between technology and humanity, imagining a world where machines can express something remarkably human.
Recorded and mixed by Kassan himself in his Orange County apartment, the album represents the independent spirit of Bloomfield Machine in its purest form. “algorithm & blues” is intimate in its creation yet expansive in its ideas, turning a personal refuge into a laboratory for sound. Best suited to attentive headphone listening, the record rewards patience as hidden details gradually emerge. It is an adventurous ninth chapter from an artist who continues to find new possibilities within his own creative language.
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