VVV Shadow World

Austin based ambient electronic producer VVV (aka Shawhin Izaddoost), returns to
Holodeck with his second full-length album "Shadow World". Following a wave of
hype from his early 2017 cassette "Why El Paso Sky", Izaddoost is back with his
signature style of half-time swing rhythms and dense, atmospheric soundscapes. After
several cassettes, EPs, and compilation appearances, VVV's long awaited follow up to
2011's "Across the Sea" (Fortified Audio) is here. Izaddoost's vocabulary on "Shadow
World" has expanded to include extensive samples from classic Iranian instruments in
addition to his usual interplay of dark melodies and 2-step dance beats. VVV's
precisely curated tonal palette and percussive themes make "Shadow World" his most
cohesive and accomplished release thus far. Ominous yet catchy down tempo
electronic music, "Shadow World" is the result of VVV's efforts to focus work on a
fully encapsulated LP with recurring motifs and source material. Shawhin has carefully
designed each piece to be a movement within a continual whole, making this record a
thoroughly realized concept rather than a collection of individual songs. VVV's abstract
mixture of fractured hip-hop and house beats on tracks like "Give it Time" and
"Spellbound" are infectious, supporting layers of ethereal yet unforgettable vocal
hooks. Interspersed within the propulsive dance tracks, ambient songs like "Circuit"
and "The Descent" are vast and cavernous, momentarily relinquishing attention to
Izaddoost's sophisticated and nuanced sound design. The unified vision and refined
details on Shadow World makes the new album stand out as the peak of VVV's
discography.