Today, pioneering electronic musician and producer, Prefuse 73, aka, Guillermo Scott Herren, announced his new album, New Strategies for Modern Crime Vol. 1, and shared the lead single, “A Lord Without Jewels.” This is his first new album since 2018’s Sacrifices. New Strategies for Modern Crime Vol. 1 sees Herren delving further into his outstanding take on hypothetical hip-hop through arrangements via the optic of the media’s sensationalism of crime, blended with influences from lost soundtracks, musique concrète, jazz and beat-tape music to create something entirely unique.

“A World Without Jewels” is an instrumental song that starts off slowly and steady. Listeners can hear the bass slowly coming onto them. The bass, along with other sounds come one at a time, after the first minute, more instruments come in as the song becomes more chaotic. The acoustics repeat until a sudden pause, and then even more sounds combine. Halfway through the song, everything becomes slightly louder. At three minutes and fifty seconds, something that sounds like an electronic piano repeats itself and recedes. At the five-minute mark, the instrumental becomes more tame; as if the song is becoming less aggressive. There is a mix of soft and loud sounds near the end until the song eventually ends.

Herren’s musical adventure began in the mid-1990s when he arrived on the underground scene under various aliases, experimenting with different styles and genres. However, it was with the introduction of Prefuse 73 when he truly found his unique voice. In 2001, Herren released his groundbreaking debut album, Vocal Studies + Uprock Narratives, which immediately attracted attention for its avant-garde sound. The album skillfully combined sporadic electronic beats, intimate samples, and fragmented vocals, establishing Prefuse 73 as a trailblazer in the burgeoning genre of electronic hip-hop.

Prefuse 73 continued to break boundaries with consecutive releases, including One Word Extinguisher and Surrounded by Silence, showcasing his ability to seamlessly fuse contrasting elements and create his own distinctive style. Characterized by intricate production and unexpected time signatures, Herren’s releases have gone on to influence an entire generation of electronic musicians.

Prefuse 73’s influence on the electronic music scene extends beyond his discography; he has inspired a generation of producers to embrace experimentation and challenge conventional norms. Guillermo Scott Herren’s artistic journey continues to evolve, leaving a permanent mark on the landscape of contemporary electronic music.

New Strategies for Modern Crime Vol. 1 Tracklist:
1. Forever Chase (Scene One)
2. A Lord Without Jewels
3. Clean Up Scene Apprentice
4. The End of Air
5. She Needs No Introduction
6. Onboard, Overboard
7. Fare La Corna
8. Full Recollection
9. Lullabies and Awakenings
10. Empath Lords
11. Desperate Demise
12. Wrong Suspect