May 1st by Vernon James
Another alias from Aquatic Miniature founder James Vernon, May 1st is a six-track excursion through West Coast G-Funk, Street Soul, House, and Boogie, all filtered through a distinctly personal lens. Recorded in the spring of 2022, the EP marks a turning point in Vernon’s process, focusing on one song at a time and shaping each track into its own complete statement rather than skipping between ideas.
Drawing inspiration from contemporary artists like Benedek and Jamma D, as well as earlier touchstones such as Leon Sylvers III, Loose Ends, and Mtume, Vernon blends sun-faded synth work with fluid basslines and unhurried drum programming. The Bay Area environment seeps into the record’s atmosphere, a hazy mix of coastal breeze, city grit, and late-night drives. May 1st captures a period where genre boundaries were treated as starting points rather than limitations, resulting in one of Vernon’s most fully realized and satisfying projects to date.Recorded Winter/Spring of 2022
Featuring:
Roland TR-626
Yamaha SY-35
Casio CZ-101
Korg Poly-800
TR-808 Clone
Roland Alpha Juno
Boss Chorus-CE-3 Effect Pedal
Chase Bliss - Mood Effect Pedal
Sakata Drum Machine Samples
Strymon - Nighstky Reverb Effect Pedal
Roland Juno 106 Samples
Legowelt Samples
Fender Jazz Bass
Fender Squire Jazzmaster - J Mascis Edition
Ghaida, Dania and Alek - for the endless inspiration and encouragement
Includes bonus alternate track listing artwork
Tracklist
| 1. | Babydoll | 3:59 |
| 2. | Big Nile | 3:37 |
| 3. | May 1st | 2:34 |
| 4. | Art Walk | 3:04 |
| 5. | Slow Motion Sinbad | 2:51 |
| 6. | Unusual Rain | 3:59 |
Credits
Peter Coclasure - Lead Synth on Big Nile
