Joe Thornally, better known as his stage name Vegyn, produces instrumentals that uplift the listener into an ambient, airy and atmospheric space. His sound is Nintendo-like, as if it could orchestrate a level of Super Mario Brothers. Previously, Vegyn’s work was only released in the form of mixtapes and loosies, but he has compiled a cohesive debut album with his newest work, “Only Diamonds Cut Diamonds.”
The 16 track album from the producer was released on Nov. 9. It consists of entirely self-produced records, with few contributors other than him, which include JPEGMafia and Freddie Gibbs.
“Only Diamonds Cut Diamonds” is filled with fast-paced and quick-hitting drum patterns, reminiscent of the elusive techno-ambient producer, Aphex Twin, with reverberating, psychedelic synths and chopped-up, obscure vocal samples. It is a mix of early Memphis rap and ambient techno, all the way from the slowed vocal samples and use of springy percussion. It is amorphous in its existence: at times it’s hard hitting and intense, but around the corner, the tracks evolve into peaceful melodies laced with birds chirping. It drives the listener to experience a slew of emotions.
The opening-track “Blue Verb” showcases his ability to intermix qualities that shouldn’t belong together. Bouncy rhythm and echoing percussions drive the song, but its sample of Three 6 Mafia’s “Smoked Out, Loced Out” is what makes the track so fascinating. It would be too predictable to give the sample the spotlight and use it as a foundation for the vocals, but Vegyn rarely does that. He uses it as a finer detail to complement the instrumental.
In the song “Fire Like Tyndall,” Vegyn calls Freddie Gibbs in for a guest feature, yet the vocals are used in a similar fashion to the ones on “Blue Verb.” It sounds as if Gibbs was recording in the next room over from where Vegyn was making this track. It’s washed out and muddled, yet it so perfectly completes the spacey-mood Vegyn is attempting. It isn’t in-your-face fast paced techno, but a piece of slowed down and calm, ambient work. It’s a track that can exist in the world within many forms, and is appropriate for a variety of situations –– not just the peaceful background noise ambient music so often falls into.
On “Unknown, Forever Known,” the track opens with a build-up of strings and a quiet, unintelligible conversation in the background. As the song progresses, a sample of a flock of crow’s chirp in the background — much like what would be heard first thing in the morning, yet doesn’t fall into a boring loop of sounds. The song displays how Vegyn is able to completely captivate his audience with his applied technical skills. The songs are exciting and keep the listener’s interest piqued.
From the use of bird noises to a muffled conversation and even the neighing of a horse, this album is filled with unexpected noise after noise. While on paper, it just seems odd to use any of these in a way that’s pleasing to the ear. Vegyn is able to mix those odd sounds into a unified and enticing body of music — consistently. There are hardly any low points, and its variance in instrumentation, samples and mood have depth and space for multiple listens.
“Only Diamonds Cut Diamonds” is music that is up for interpretation — it is ever-molding. If you are feeling down, this album is sad. If you’re happy, it’s uplifting. While at times it may be eerie, it can also be joyous. It’s up to the listener to decide how it makes them feel, but no matter their decision, this album will emulate that emotion.
