Bloomfield Machine’s algorithm & blues presents an intriguing meeting point between melodic rock, electronic experimentation and detailed sound design. Created by Huntington Beach-based multi-instrumentalist Brian Kassan, the album offers 15 concise compositions spanning just over 30 minutes, yet its compact format never limits its sense of discovery. Guitar takes a more prominent role throughout the project, adding a rock-oriented character to Kassan’s established keyboard-driven approach while preserving the distinctive electronic textures and unconventional sonic details associated with Bloomfield Machine.
The album’s compositions emerged through an intentionally spontaneous recording process rather than a predetermined blueprint. Kassan explores an expansive library of sounds and beats, allowing ideas to develop naturally until individual pieces begin to take shape. This method gives algorithm & blues an unpredictable quality, with melodic passages frequently surrounded by distorted effects, glitches, noise and atmospheric layers. The result is a collection that can initially appear straightforward before revealing additional details through repeated listening.
There is also a reflective quality behind the project, as Kassan describes Bloomfield Machine as a means of expressing thoughts and emotions that can be difficult to communicate verbally. The album’s title captures its fascination with the relationship between technology and human feeling, while the accompanying perspective from poet and musician Ken Lee of Eleven Shadows reinforces that dialogue between machines and emotional experience. Rather than presenting a rigid concept, the record leaves room for listeners to form their own interpretations through its shifting textures and concise arrangements.
As the ninth Bloomfield Machine album, algorithm & blues demonstrates an artist continuing to experiment without abandoning the importance of strong melodies and memorable composition. Kassan’s entirely self-contained approach ; writing, performing, recording, producing and mixing the material from his home studio—gives the project an unmistakably personal character. Its short tracks encourage exploration without demanding a significant time commitment, while the layered production rewards patience. Best experienced through headphones in a quiet setting, algorithm & blues is a fascinating addition to Bloomfield Machine’s evolving catalogue and an engaging listen for those drawn to adventurous, melodic and genre-defying independent music.
