JENNIFER LOVELESS — Familiar (lp)

Jennifer Loveless – Familiar (LP) arrives on Running Back Incantations as RBINC0112LP, a 12-inch vinyl that navigates ambient, house and deep-beat territories while keeping a subtle dance-floor pulse. The seven-track debut album explores the uneasy space between memory and recognition, marrying understated rhythms with atmospheric electronics and Loveless’ own voice. Within the Running Back Incantations catalogue, Familiar follows the 2023 LP Keep Looking Where The Light Comes From by Panoram (RBINC010LP) and precedes Feater’s Obsolescence (RBINC011, 2027). It sits alongside earlier releases such as Rekid’s 99 (RBINC009LP, 2022) and Panoram’s Acrobatic Thoughts (RBINC008LP, 2022), forming a line of releases that balance experimental texture with dance-floor sensibility. Side A opens with “Good Morning”, a quiet entry that establishes the record’s intimate scale. The track lets production and vocal presence coexist without competing, inviting the listener into an already formed atmosphere. “If you hear this, I love you” follows, foregrounding the album’s preoccupation with distance and memory; its title alone underscores the emotional tension between past and present. “Slow Rise” continues the patient development, allowing minute shifts in texture and rhythm to accumulate into a gradual sense of movement. Side B begins with “In Touch Again”, a composition where economical production meets a delicate balance of electronic colour, voice and pulse, creating a feeling of closeness that is simultaneously remote. “Felt That” and “SSK4” extend the dialogue between song-oriented writing and abstract electronic structures; both tracks keep arrangements open, granting individual sounds space while preserving warmth without slipping into comfort. The record closes with the title track “Familiar”, a reflective piece that returns to the central theme: familiarity as a mutable state that changes with time, remaining recognizable yet fundamentally altered. For Loveless, Familiar marks a significant step beyond earlier output such as the 2024 Butter Sessions 12-inch Pleasure (BSR044). While her previous releases already hinted at experimental textures and emotional contrast, this LP expands those ideas into a cohesive, album-length statement that bridges listening music and left-field dance. In the current underground scene, the record offers a contemplative counterpoint to peak-time releases. Its restraint and gradual progression make it suitable for late-night sets where mood and texture are paramount, while its subtle rhythmic pulses keep it anchored to the dance floor. DJs seeking a track that can transition from introspective moments to a gently moving groove will find the A-side cuts particularly useful, and the B-side provides deeper, more abstract material for nuanced set construction. The vinyl itself is a 140 g black 12-inch LP, housed in a full-colour sleeve with printed inner sleeves, reflecting the care taken in its physical presentation. The pressing aligns with the album’s emphasis on tactile, immersive listening. Jennifer Loveless – Familiar, Running Back Incantations, catalogue RBINC0112LP, 12-inch vinyl, seven tracks. Tracklist: A1. Jennifer Loveless – Good Morning A2. Jennifer Loveless – If you hear this, I love you A3. Jennifer Loveless – Slow Rise B1. Jennifer Loveless – In Touch Again B2. Jennifer Loveless – Felt That B3. Jennifer Loveless – SSK4 B4. Jennifer Loveless – Familiar