Loam, aka James Warchol, has been making music since his teens. He had played guitar, bass and vocals in various bands, and had brief success in the early '90s with his band Sometime Sweet Susan. In the mid '90s, he started expanding into more experimental forms of music as well, both with his band and as a solo artist. Working with samplers, keyboards and software, as well as guitars, these explorations grew into the Loam music you hear today.

Warchol first appeared as Loam on the Topscore Records compilation CD "Gain Structure" in 1999. Loam's first self titled CD was released by Topscore in 2000. In 2001, he collaborated on an installation piece called "Audio Reliquary" as member of the group J3. The piece appeared in the Roger Brown Gallery in Chicago, IL. Loam has also released tracks on stasisfield.com, an mp3 only label. The compositions "meditations (on ashKroft)" and "cassette hiss guitar" came out in 2002. A new live piece called "Double Live Bonzo" will be released in spring 2003.

Loam's new album "terra obscura" was released by Topscore Records in May 2003. An EP entitled "1:11" will also be released by Topscore as part of the label's "range" series.

other releases

• terra obscura
[on topscore]

• loam - topscore 4 [on topscore]

• gain structure compilation [on topscore]