Loraine James grew up in Enfield, North London and was drawn into the world of music-making through her mother's eclectic love of music, and she thanks the multiculturalism of her city, for 'broadening her ears' in her teens. She took piano lessons as a child, while classes at college, and later on Westminster University’s Commercial Music course, facilitated her encounter with the basic tools for digital production, her musical approach displays voracious musical curiosity and an exciting, peerless approach to making music.
Her wide exposure to jazz, electronica, UK drill and grime, reassembled through her intuitive skills and intimate, almost diaristic approach to music-making can be heard on the colourful mix-up of her Hyperdub debut album For You And I which was well-received when it was released in late 2019, garnering features from Pitchfork, Line of Best Fit, Mixmag and album of the year in both DJ Mag and Quietus in the UK as well as support on radio. A busy live schedule headlining and supporting acts such as Telefon Tel Aviv, Jessy Lanza and Holly Herndon followed, as well as demand as a remixer, before Covid ground everything to a halt.
Loraine took advantage of the Lockdown to work on her next EP, Nothing for Hyperdub in 2020 as well as self releasing EPs on Bandcamp and using a steady flow of remixes, from Jessy Lanza to Gordi and others to sharpen her skills, as well as starting a monthly show on NTS radio and performing at Adult Swim's annual music festival. Loraine completed and delivered her third album Reflection for Hyperdub, released in June 2021. She also recorded the eponymous debut album under her ambient-adjacent alias, Whatever The Weather, arriving in spring 2022 on Ghostly International. In contrast to her percussive club music sensibilities, with WTW she uses keyboard improvisations, stuttering production, and vocal experimentation to shape atmosphere, mood, and tone.
