since 2015, james welshs contribution to phantasy as kamera has delivered a series of releases shrouded in mystery, injected with the personal energy of both a hardcore and club heritage. two eps, arc and ventoux, set a distinct tone, with the latter complimented by head-turning remixes from artists such as george fitzgerald, throwing snow, truncate and yaleesa hall. now, the key phantasy artist emerges from the shadows under his own name, in order to continue his uncompromising musical journey. returning with a new, two-track ep, standing/slip captures the finely tuned tension and euphoric release of welshs sound in arguably its strongest form to date, showcasing not only the dancefloor mettle firmly established under his prior alias, but a new sense of wistfulness that coaxes his typically outstanding machine work into altogether more reflective territory. standing throws listeners headlong into welshs formerly anonymous industrial complex, generating a churning, relentless rhythm offset with a dry female vocal that recalls the sardonic stance of vintage electroclash. following this, slip is an initially unexpectedly spectral diversion, transmitting a curious synth line into space, and receiving a choral, sombre frequency in return. without losing its emotive qualities, the track succumbs to a hailstorm of welshs sharp, potent drums, before collapsing in understated catharsis.
