Manhatten - Specific State

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Manhatten’s Specific State is a lusciously layered, airy and intricate musical journey. Rich bass, strong percussion and varied synth sounds mingle with beautiful melodic moments and a gliding feeling to create relaxing, engaging music.

Layer upon layer of sound wash and flow together through Specific State. Manhatten draws from a deep, broad selection of synth sounds and lays them down like a painter building up an image from many different paints. The tones, timbres and textures all interact in fascinating ways that keep my ears well engaged.

Despite the gauzy, summery sensations that permeate Specific State, percussion and bass still plas a crucial role in the overall musical picture. The drums have depth and weight to them and a series of other percussive elements create additional layers and sonic interactions. Undulating bass waves buoy up the other sounds on the album and carry them in an easy flow.

I also want to mention Manhatten’s melodic writing on the album. He has crafted gem-like, delicate melodies that soothe and sometimes hurt a little. As the melodies run throughout the tracks, they weave gossamer threads to enrapture the ears and touch the heart.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“First Steps” opens as far away, open-sounding synth carries a dynamically shifting melody over a steadily gliding beat. The string-like, medium high synth accents hollow, pipe-like sounds carrying a gently uplifting melody over the steadily moving drums and deep bass.

There’s an ethereal, summery ease that draws me in as pipe-like synth flows through and softly shaping drums move underneath it. The track moves into a breezy segment with short drum bursts and elevated, nasal synth drifting through.

The light beat is accented by intertwined string sounds and panpipe synth singing out a fragile line as distant sounds tumble through the music. Airy synth frolics gently as full sounds climb around it before the track easily flickers into silence.

Twisting, scraping sounds start off “I Know” followed by a swirling, distorted, balmy synth cloud flows in pillowy notes. A distant voice moves before solid drums pulsate below pipe-like notes that slide out into the music. The drums have an uneven motion and the misty, delicate background is broken by trembling pipes.

Bending, flute-like synth carries a hazy and caressing line out over the stuttering drums and vibrating bass throb. Fluting synth glides along through the intertwining sonic whorls to create a calm soundscape. The panpipe’s hollow voice gently drifts along with bright flute-like notes shivering out into the unctuous background as a distorted voice calls out. The music has  a settling and fragile feel as the track ends.

“The 808 State We’re In” begins as dense bass and heavily pulsing drums are joined by xylophone notes tapping out. Weighty bass shifts as elevated notes wriggle and clapping percussion trembles.

Bendy sonic blocks move along with the woodsy xylophone’s clacking and extended notes echo out as creamy bass moves far below them. Natural sounds cry out and the distant, indistinct vocals also shift while the drums stutter and the thick bass undulates. A high, fluting sound flows through in a vaguely melancholy line that I find touching.

Xylophone shimmers with a brittle sound and mingled, interlinked notes wash through. The drums shake and flutter while the echoing vocal sounds also wander past. Solid bass underpins a tumbling sonic cascade as night sounds end the track.

Vibrant, round-sounding panpipe synth opens “In The Name of Love.” The lead synth carries a pleasantly heart-warming melody full of aching feeling as the massive drums burst and pulsate. The repeating melodic pattern is cut by elevated, string-line notes before a medium-high, resonant synth takes up the caressing melody.

A tambourine adds more percussion as disembodied voices flow past. The melodic pattern washes out and comes in again on breathy panpipes as the hard-hitting drums have a wide feeling as they burst into the music.

A hissing rush moves and broad, medium-high synth carries an enfolding melodic pattern. High chimes double the lead synth while the vocal flow bends. The track ends, washing away into silence after a gigantic drum burst.

"You Showed Me” comes to life as medium-high, gleaming synth and ringing chimes slip through in a gentle line as the bass oscillates. Full-sounding, glittering synth carries a smoothly touching melody that shines out over the easy-going drums and upwelling bass. I find the melody engaging in this track.

Tender light glows from the lead synth, elevated and shimmering, while the drums grow in strength to match the bass pulsation. Raised synth carries a bright, warming melodic pattern that trickles through the music over the bass depths far below. A robotic, distorted vocal sound that moves with the full main melody and out into silence.

A single, resonant bell rings out before wide-sounding, bursting drums and a hazy bass throb move to kick off “Try So Hard.” Elevated, flashing synth flickers and distorted voices briefly move into the track. Breezy panpipes carry quickly leaping, feather-light notes over rich bass. Entangling, circular synth winds distantly through as the bell rings, digital sounding bass rumbles and piercing synth glitters.

Wide drums burst and misty bass intertwines as bells ring out to accent the glowing synth.  The panpipes flow out with a summery ease that I enjoy over the glowing synth light around them. Bass density washes in waves and medium-high synth calls out with a gentle touch before one final bell rings and silence falls.

“Building  A New World” begins with a hissing, distorted bell tolling as undulating bass waves ripple. A jumping bass line and metallic percussion form a shaping pattern as whorls of medium-high, lush sound drift and deep bass cascades.

The drums propel the music in a slightly broken pattern as angular bass drives on. Metallic percussion adds a brittle element as a distorted voice briefly twists as the warm pastel of the background wraps around itself.

Dense bass wanders far underneath as reverent, tremulous synth glides in an enjoyable line. Broad, more powerful, medium-high synth sweeps as gruff sounds shiver and rise. The drums keep moving as the creamy mid-range synth adds an open-voiced feeling before the music fades.

Conclusion

Specific State is an album that calms and glides, while still possessing a strong percussive heartbeat, powerful bass rhythms and some beautiful melodies. Manhatten has spun off in a new and interesting direction with this release.