Ever since the internet became a household utility, electronic music has been the subgenre of choice online. Early 21st century artists like Aphex Twin and Burial remain evergreen, especially as contemporary artists transform their textural works into new shapes.
Enter Jane from Hell, the nickname of Rochester native and current downstate student Janet Fornieri.
Her latest self-released short album, Gammatology, a seven-song adventure set through the sounds of rain and soft drums and bass, was released on Bandcamp earlier this spring. It’s a testament to the powerful components of the electronic sleepwalker, breathed into life through the occasional sample.
“Haunted” is set in alternative R&B with mesmerizing out-of-reach sound bites, while “Bonanza Split” infuses old movie dialogue into a rhythmic churn highlighted by bright synth tones.
The most exciting tune, “Heartbreakly,” is as stimulating as caffeine and pairs perfectly with some of the game’s high-octane aesthetics. But this is an outlier.
“Gammatology” relies on calm, detached rhythms to create an overall atmosphere of casual detachment. The deeper you dig, the more you discover: tiny synth curves on opener “Abjad,” subtle shifting musicalities on ambient closer “XTine” and more moments to be parsed.
Given Jane in Hell’s sparse digital presence, careful listening is crucial. Aside from some questionable images on Bandcamp and SoundCloud, the artist has taken a backseat to music.
These songs are the focus, written and completed over the past few months and then released. The lack of further details creates an air of mystery that contributes to a blissful musical experience.
Some of Jan’s past works, such as 2023’s “Modular Jams,” have explored heavy, edgy sounds. “Gammatology,” coupled with the recent flip of Charli XCX’s “B2b” and the super-pop moments from the “Pahnishment” EP, point to a bright — albeit unpredictable — path forward. Just like the past 25 years of being online.
Patrick Hosken is an arts writer for City magazine. He can be contacted via: [email protected].
