For nearly a decade, James Hofer has journeyed under the moniker Viva Non, his path evolving from synthpop’s nostalgic shimmer to a more introspective, restrained sound. His latest EP, Natural, encapsulates this transformation, offering five tracks—four originals and one reinterpretation—delivered with subtlety through layers of diode and delay.
The record unfolds as a transcendent experience, evoking a sense of detachment as it hovers, hums, and ultimately fades away—a fleeting transmission from the far reaches of the city during the witching hours. Beneath its surface, a cool control crackles through the circuitry: Kraftwerk’s serene precision dictates the tempo, while whispers of early EBM snarl from the shadows, issuing veiled threats through static-laden choruses. Yet, the voice—soft and half-swallowed—belongs solely to Hofer. It is restrained, restless, immersed in the stillness of after-hours solitude. “Natural” speaks in organic moods interwoven with electronic nuances, crafted for dim-lit roads and prolonged moments when language falters, allowing machines to murmur what we cannot voice.
Keyboards hang like breath caught in a cold room. Rhythms skitter and stammer, hesitant as if remembering old injuries. There’s no centre, no spotlight…just machines left murmuring prayers into the quiet. Hofer, voice withdrawn, lets his circuitry speak instead: sighing, seething, subdued. Natural feels like finding an abandoned answering machine still blinking red. You press play. What you hear is something like longing, something like loss – but mostly, it’s what remains when everyone else has left and the electricity still hums.
“For the past few years I’ve been DJ’ing quite a bit,” says Hofer. “I got opportunities to play large parties in the 1am slot, and I’ve very much enjoyed introducing EBM, industrial, and wave-infused techno to crowds that are certainly not familiar with these genres. I wanted to create an EP of original tracks that would fit into these kinds of sets. That, simply, is what this release is about.”
Encircle (Filmmaker Remix) comes with a hypnotic visualizer directed by Jensen Maxwell, filmed during a DJ set at Winnipeg’s Rainbow Trout Music Festival.
Natural is out now via Verboden Records. Listen to the album below:
Viva Non will be playing shows this spring. Catch them on the following dates:
- April 17 – Winnipeg – The Handsome Daughter
- April 25 – Seattle – Bad Bar
- April 26 – Vancouver – The Cobalt
- May 3 – Calgary – Dickens Pub
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