Whatever the Weather (album)

Last updated

Whatever the Weather
Whatever the Weather (album).jpg
Studio album by
Released8 April 2022 (2022-04-08)
Genre
Length44:19
Label Ghostly International
Producer Loraine James
Loraine James chronology
Reflection
(2021)
Whatever the Weather
(2022)
Building Something Beautiful for Me
(2022)

Whatever the Weather is a studio album by English music producer Loraine James under the pseudonym Whatever the Weather. [3] It was released on 8 April 2022 through Ghostly International. [4] It received universal acclaim from critics. [5]

Contents

Background

Under her own name, Loraine James released Detail (2017), For You and I (2019), and Reflection (2021). [6] Whatever the Weather is her first studio album under the pseudonym Whatever the Weather. [7]

Most tracks on Whatever the Weather are instrumental, while a few tracks feature Loraine James' own vocals. [8] During the making of the album, she was influenced by the bands Deftones and American Football. [8] Each song on the album is titled for a different temperature (measured in Celsius). [9] The album is mastered by Joshua Eustis (Telefon Tel Aviv). [10] A music video for "17°C" was directed by Michael Reisinger. [11]

Loraine James later released a follow-up album, Whatever the Weather II (2025). [12]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 83/100 [5]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [13]
Clash 8/10 [14]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [15]
Pitchfork 7.8/10 [16]
Uncut 8/10 [17]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic , Whatever the Weather received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 83 out of 100 from 7 critic scores. [5]

Paul Simpson of AllMusic stated, "It's not quite accurate to pigeonhole this as 'Loraine James goes ambient,' as she's still experimenting with complex beat structures on several of these tracks, but there's a far greater presence of rippling, weightless synths and placid piano melodies here." [13] Will Ainsley of The Quietus called the album "an excellent, and at times thrilling, exposition of a particular side of James' music-making, a strange and alien concoction that reels you into its jellied depths." [18]

Stephen Dalton of Uncut stated, "Loraine James adopts a new label, a meteorological alias and a more improvisational approach on this mostly delicious anthology of liquid dreamscapes and ambient-adjacent sound paintings." [17] Stephen Worthy of Mojo commented that "Its tracks bloom or brood organically, changing tempo and energy in line with the temperatures they're named after." [15]

Accolades

Year-end lists for Whatever the Weather
PublicationListRankRef.
Impose The Top 50 Albums of 2022
Slant Magazine The Best Electronic Albums of 2022
[1]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Loraine James.

Whatever the Weather track listing
No.TitleLength
1."25°C"7:27
2."0°C"4:01
3."17°C"4:02
4."14°C"5:45
5."2°C (Intermittent Rain)"1:32
6."10°C"4:22
7."6°C"2:24
8."4°C"4:36
9."30°C"4:50
10."36°C"5:20
Total length:44:19
Digital edition bonus track [20]
No.TitleLength
11."28°C (Intermittent Sunshine)"1:32
Total length:45:53

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes. [21]

Charts

Chart performance for Whatever the Weather
Chart (2022)Peak
position
UK Album Downloads (OCC) [22] 90
UK Independent Album Breakers (OCC) [23] 19

References

  1. 1 2 "The Best Electronic Albums of 2022". Slant Magazine . 15 December 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
  2. Renshaw, David (9 March 2022). "Whatever The Weather's "36°C" is a reassuring moment of tranquillity". The Fader . Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  3. Darville, Jordan (2 February 2022). "Loraine James reveals new alias Whatever The Weather". The Fader . Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  4. Slingerland, Calum (2 February 2022). "Loraine James Readies New Album as Whatever the Weather". Exclaim! . Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 "Whatever the Weather by Whatever the Weather". Metacritic . Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  6. Crone, David. "Loraine James". AllMusic . Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  7. Simpson, Paul. "Whatever the Weather". AllMusic . Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  8. 1 2 Sherburne, Philip (15 February 2022). "Loraine James Takes Electronic Music's Temperature With New Alias Whatever the Weather". Pitchfork . Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  9. DeVille, Chris (2 February 2022). "Whatever The Weather Is Loraine James' New Ambient Alias: Hear Debut Single "17°C"". Stereogum . Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  10. Murray, Eoin (6 December 2022). "Loraine James: the art of instinct". DJ Mag . Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  11. Corcoran, Nina (2 February 2022). "Loraine James Announces Debut Album as Whatever the Weather, Shares New Song "17°C": Listen". Pitchfork . Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  12. Eede, Christian (16 January 2025). "Loraine James Unveils Second Album as Whatever The Weather". The Quietus . Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  13. 1 2 Simpson, Paul. "Whatever the Weather - Whatever the Weather". AllMusic . Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  14. Torracinta, Louis (4 April 2022). "Loraine James – Whatever The Weather". Clash . Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  15. 1 2 Worthy, Stephen (May 2022). "Mojo Filter". Mojo . p. 95.
  16. Roberts, Phillipe (18 April 2022). "Whatever the Weather: Whatever the Weather". Pitchfork . Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  17. 1 2 Dalton, Stephen (May 2022). "New Albums". Uncut . p. 36.
  18. Ainsley, Will (11 April 2022). "Whatever The Weather — s/t". The Quietus . Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  19. "The Top 50 Albums of 2022". Impose . 6 December 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
  20. "Whatever The Weather | Whatever The Weather". Bandcamp . Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  21. Whatever the Weather (2022). Whatever the Weather (vinyl booklet). Ghostly International.
  22. "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  23. "Official Independent Album Breakers Chart on 15/4/2022". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 12 January 2025.

Further reading