What happens when two artists defined by independence decide to share the reins? Particularlyin the realm of electronic music, so often crafted in the privacy of a bedroom or a solitary studio,collaboration can feel like an exercise in ceding control. For Brothertiger and Hotel Pools, thisexercise proved surprisingly easy.Months of swapping ideas from opposite coasts gradually yielded Paradigms, a joint album thatfinds the two veteran artists melding their signature sounds into a dreamy electronicaconfection. Over seven hypnotic songs, Brothertiger’s entrancing vocals float in a rich mist oflayered synths, creating an ethereal sonic atmosphere that feels simultaneously calm andclimactic.At its face, this sound may not be unfamiliar to fans of either artist. Hotel Pools, the moniker ofPortland-based artist and producer Ben Braun, has been a stalwart presence in the vaporwavescene since 2018, and Brothertiger’s John Jagos has amassed a cult following for his masterfulelectronic production. Their affinity for synths isn’t the only thing they have in common — afterdemoralizing experiences with traditional record labels, both artists opted to go fullyindependent and release music directly to their fans.“Hotel Pools was born because I was tired of having to deal with other people controlling myoutput,” Ben explains. “When the project was born in 2018, I was just putting demos onSoundcloud — totally grassroots, and it just kind of connected with an audience. I leaned intomaking the music I wanted to make, having the artwork made that I wanted made, working withwho I wanted to work with, and kind of shunning the industry to a certain degree.”Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, John was honing his craft in New York and buildinga name for Brothertiger on the assemblage of music blogs that defined 2010s music discovery.Platforms like Bandcamp, Soundcloud and Myspace presented a refreshingly straightforwardalternative to the record label route, offering more creative autonomy and deeper relationshipswith fans.But after years of writing, producing, and releasing their own music, both artists foundthemselves yearning for creative kinship.“Being an independent solo artist, I’m so used to working by myself, and I know Ben is too,”says John. “But the past two years, I’d been thinking it would be cool to collaborate withsomeone whose music I really like who is also a solo artist who shares a similar vision andsound.”John reached out to Ben, Ben sent over a demo, John added lyrics. Immediately, both artists feltstruck by not only the fluidity of the working relationship but the comfort they felt in each