Vinyl Williams

Brunei

On his new album, LA-based visual artist and musician Lionel "Vinyl" Williams goes deep. It's his 3rd overall, and 2nd to be released on Company Records, the label run by Chaz Bundick (Toro Y Moi/Les Sins), who also cameos here. Elements of psychedelia, chillwave and even Krautrock inform the celestial sounds. But underneath lies a spiritual connection to back-in-the-day astral travelers like Lonnie Liston Smith and Pharoah Sanders. Eastern influences also play their part, both religiously (note the lyrics) and musically (note the quarter tones on his vocals). But ultimately, Brunei is a concept album--one wherein Williams beams down to our troubled planet from outer space with visions of a peaceful, Utopian universe.