Side A / Side B feels surprisingly complete even when separated from its original vinyl presentation. As two long-form pieces collected together in a digital folder, the recording becomes less about the mechanics of flipping a record and more about the contrast between two complementary approaches to electronic composition. Rather than functioning as separate tracks, "Side A" and "Side B" behave like two perspectives on the same creative conversation, each examining similar ideas through different methods of movement, texture and duration.
The project began with Jim O'Rourke reshaping material supplied by Alessio Natalizia, better known as Not Waving, but it gradually evolved into something much more collaborative. Additional sounds were exchanged, the original concept expanded, and the finished release became its own work instead of a conventional remix. That transformation is audible throughout. The music never sounds like one artist simply decorating another's compositions. Instead, the two sensibilities merge into something neither would likely have produced independently. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
"Side A" immediately establishes a spacious, patient atmosphere. Repeating synthesizer figures circle through slowly changing harmonic patterns while new layers quietly accumulate around them. The movement is almost architectural. Rather than building toward an obvious climax, the composition continually enlarges its own interior space. Every additional sound changes the proportions of the whole, making familiar patterns feel subtly different each time they return.
O'Rourke has always been remarkably skilled at writing long-form music that never appears to hurry, and that ability is especially effective here. Time seems to stretch naturally. The listener stops measuring progress by minutes and instead begins noticing changes in density, brightness and harmonic color. A sequence that initially feels static gradually reveals constant internal activity, rewarding careful listening without demanding analytical attention.
"Side B" shifts the balance without abandoning the same patient philosophy. More active rhythmic figures begin weaving through the arrangement, creating gentle forward momentum while avoiding conventional electronic beats. Pulses appear, overlap and dissolve into one another, giving the recording an unsettled energy that never becomes frantic. The piece feels simultaneously precise and unpredictable, allowing mechanical repetition and organic drift to coexist.
One of the release's greatest strengths is its production. Every synthesizer layer occupies a carefully judged position, creating impressive depth without overcrowding the stereo field. Bright arpeggios, sustained drones and quieter background textures remain clearly defined while blending into a unified environment. The recording has remarkable clarity, but it never feels clinically separated or overly polished. Individual details emerge naturally as attention moves through the mix.
The dialogue between repetition and variation keeps both pieces continually engaging. Patterns return often enough to establish familiarity, yet each repetition carries slightly different emotional weight because surrounding harmonies have shifted. O'Rourke avoids dramatic structural breaks in favor of gradual transformation, allowing tiny adjustments to reshape the listener's experience over time.
Although the release runs for just over twenty minutes, it possesses the same expansive quality found throughout much of O'Rourke's later electronic work. The compositions never feel compressed or hurried. Instead, they create the impression of much larger environments extending beyond the limits of the recording itself. Side A / Side B ultimately succeeds because it treats collaboration as an opportunity for exploration rather than compromise, bringing together two distinct musical languages while preserving the curiosity, patience and careful attention to texture that define O'Rourke's finest electronic recordings.
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