An electronic venture from the drummer of Big Thief, yielding some exhilarating outcomes...
08 · 05 · 2025
If someone had told me in 2017 that the drummer of Big Thief would release an album blending future bass, African rhythms, quirky electronica, and gentle melancholy on Planet Mu, I would have found it hard to believe. Yet here we are, less than ten years later, and that’s precisely what James Krivchenia has accomplished with his fourth album.
The opening track lives up to its title. ‘Undesigned’ feels spontaneous, as if it’s unfolding naturally rather than being meticulously crafted. The beats and rhythms are scattered and chaotic. On first listen, it’s challenging to figure out what to concentrate on. And that’s the intention. Krivchenia bombards us with a variety of sounds. Some resonate, some don’t. Some clash, others harmonize. But that’s the essence. Hurling everything at us at breakneck speed is breathtaking.
Following the frenetic opening track ‘Unhinged’, Krivchenia presents ‘Judge the Seeds’. This is a slower, more tender piece that fits perfectly in the tracklist. After the energetic start, I was curious whether Krivchenia could maintain the momentum, and what we would encounter toward the end. Instead, he pulls back, allowing us a moment to breathe. What makes ‘Judge the Seeds’ delightful is not just the shift in tempo—though it is welcome—but also the addition of electric bassist Sam Wilkes and double bassist Joshua Abrams. This infusion adds depth to the song and the entire album. In ‘Sympathetic Magic’, the bass is subtle but definitely present, pulsing in the background.
The final track, ‘Metaphoric Leakage’, feels like a modern twist on the 1996 album ‘Expert Knob Twiddlers’ by Richard D. James and Mike Paradinas (the head of Planet Mu). It’s playful, quirky, catchy, and incredibly enjoyable. After the onslaught of sound, Krivchenia offers something understated yet wonderfully offbeat.
‘Performing Belief’ is an exhilarating experience. Even in the ‘slower’ tracks like ‘Probably Wizards’, it remains vivid and energetic. This album begs to be played loudly, whether at gatherings or in your car on a sunny day. It embodies the essence of leisure. If fortune favors Krivchenia, this will be the album blaring from every souped-up car at traffic lights all summer long. It deserves to be played by someone with a high-quality sound system who wants to showcase its richness. It also shines brilliantly through headphones.
In summary, ‘Performing Belief’ is a remarkable album that improves with repeated listens. It is filled with captivating melodies, quirky rhythms, and impressive basslines.
8/10
Words: Nick Roseblade
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If you had mentioned to me in 2017 that the drummer from Big Thief would be launching an album that experiments with future bass, African rhythms, and unconventional electronica, I would have been surprised.