Sferro & Tommy ‘86 - Remote Communications

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Sferro & Tommy ‘86s Remote Communications explores a complex range of synth tones, timbres and textures to create luscious, layered music. Sferro & Tommy ‘86 creatively utilize their sonic palette to travel through moods and atmospheres that run the gamut from darkness to dappled light and from melancholy to uplifting emotion. On the way, the album travels through well-composed melodies, powerful percussion and detailed auditory imagery.

One of the factors that draws me to Remote Communications is the sheer intricacy and complexity of the synth sounds and their relationship to one another. Sferro & Tommy ‘86 manage to carry me away on a journey through ear catching, engaging auditory layers. I appreciate the time and effort it took to craft the luscious sonic jewels that are the individual tracks of this album.

Another aspect of Remote Communications that I find impressive is the melodic writing on the album. Sferro & Tommy ‘86 craft melodies that capture emotion and deliver it to the listener with nuance and intense feeling. The way in which the melodies interact with the other sonic elements gives them life and depth as they unfold.

I am also enamoured of the auditory imagery that fills Remote Communications. I enjoy the way in which atmospheric moments mingle with the other musical elements to carry me away through emotions that vary from positivity to wistful melancholy. Sferro & Tommy ‘86 weave compelling soundscapes throughout the album.

I also want to add that I thoroughly enjoyed Mecha Maiko’s performance on “Like A Child” for the way in which she added a great deal of emotional expression to the song and complemented the sounds created by Sferro & Tommy ‘86.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Zen Meteor” comes to life as intensely illuminating, slightly distorted synth bends and washes, undulating smoothly as the track opens. Rebounding drums and dense bass form a steady heartbeat beneath elevated, airily sweeping synth.

Chimes flash with glassy light as drums and bass create a throbbing pulse. Fragile, open sounding notes slide above the low end tide. The chimes add brilliance and hollow sounding, medium high synth trades off with resonant, xylophone like sounds as the drums and bass pulsate below.

The chiming notes add more sparkle and light to the music. a wide sounding, laid-back synth sings out a melody with a ghostly tenderness that charms me. well then drums and bass shape the music. The shimmering notes keep flickering through the music in time to the rebounding drums. all of the notes interlock into a caressing framework that slowly guides the track to an end.

Intensely flashing synth rises in quick motion to open “Like a Child.” The drums and bass create a steady pulse as a nasal sounding synth cuts with sharp edges. Mecha Maiko has a breathy, sultry voice that slips past, carrying the dreaming melody above the low end’s steady heartbeat.

The chorus becomes warmer, but still a little uncertain. in the distance the drums and bass interlock with the swirling synth. Mecha Maiko’s voice has a wonderfully tender quality and a wistful feeling as it carries the drifting melody. There's a danceable quality to the beat while a synth flitters through in quick string-like motion.

The vocals are caressing and smooth while the low end creates motion. In the distance, the quickly leaping synth moves through and the low end keeps pulsing. Mecha Maiko captures the yearning in the lyrics. Twisting notes and synth with a digital accent unfurl with lively energy as string-like sounds sweep past to end the song.

The storyteller creates a beautiful image of feet that “silently land on the lake in the night" and gentle kisses from diffused city light. She talks about beds that are made “in a selfish place” and frost that winds around the waist with no mind paid. She goes on to say that she had thought she loved the city but she isn't sure it loves her back.

Our narrator goes on to say that “this is my heartbeat through and through.” She speaks of her heart’s vibrations lightly shaking the morning dew. She is catching the last train home with “no more money, no neon glow, just the houses row by row.” As she concludes she talks about being " cradled like a child” by everything she doesn't know, all alone.

“Shadow Work” commences as metallic sounds ring out along with twisting noises that writhe through the music as solid drums punch hard. Heaving bass comes in to thunder below the hard-hitting drums as flitting notes sparkle above the weight below.

Elevated, fragile notes dance out with a light and airy feeling above the low end. Now broadly flashing synth flares in the distance as the drums keep punching out. Shining, ringing notes intertwine to add intense luminosity above the weighty low end pulse driving forward.

Glistening notes cascade and call out with a rounded tone. Hard-edged, gruff synth entangles below the elevated, echoing notes that fill the track with solar light. Shadowed synth runs into a gritty flow before scintillating notes undulate as an ominous threat continues to move in the distance.

Below the other sonic elements, the drums and bass add steadying shape. The track ends on broadly leaving synth and the continual throb while the full sounding, metallic notes flicker out to end the track.

Smoothly drifting synth flows in delicate lines as exhaling notes pulse to open “Sunset Valley.” Trembling drums reverberate below lightly caressing clouds, rising in pastel hues while the bass adds weight below.

Now sharper-edged, medium-high synth cuts through the cotton candy clouds with a soaring melody, sweeping in on a bright sounding synth. The drums pop above the rich bass as lambent chords contribute diffuse light. Xylophone-like notes shine, moving in a steady glide. I enjoy the balance between gentleness and power as this track unfolds.

A floating feeling permeates the music, lifting me above the misty cloudscape as xylophone-like notes add effulgent luminance. Open sounding pipes move in the distance briefly as the drums pulsate and the track fades to silence.

“Brothers of the Soul” commences as massive drums thud in with a solid beat as a hi-hat ticks. Rebounding, clapping sounds echo out and flashing synth pulses and bursts, adding encouraging energy. The drums and bass lock into a punchy groove that presses the music forward.

Breezy notes sweep in the distance, swelling outwards as growing, scintillating synth chords add luminosity. Powerful forward motion imbues this music. After a drum flourish, open-sounding synth drifts out as worshipful notes intertwine in the distance.

I find the contrast within this track pleasing to the ear. The digitally glowing, hollow sounding synth flows outward as brilliant chimes flit past and shining chords flare. Silence falls for a moment before delicately swirling notes drift past as broadly bursting percussion reverberates throughout.

Hissing notes move before a glimmering synth carries a quickly shifting melodic line that adds increased movement. The drums keep exploding and a chime flows past in a rapid ripple before trembling notes flow out into space to close the track.

Panpipe notes echo out into open space with a vibrating quality to start “We Been 'Round.” Drums softly skitter and skip as a medium-high, glimmering synth dances out with a bounce. Rapid fire panpipe pulses volley back and forth as the drums rebound and the bass throbs.

A taut, sharp-edged synth moves in, carrying a melody that soars upwards on bending notes as the drums and bass pulsate. Luminous synth bounces in trembling lines, imbued with urgency as the low end pushes on. Sweeping, medium-low synth with a rough-edged sound flares in extended pulses that cut through the other musical elements.

I enjoy the percussion’s momentum, mingling with the sweeping entanglement around it. Bending, rising synth wanders outwards in a wriggling motion while the drums and bass press on. Luscious layers wrap around one another before the track falls silent on softly shifting notes that gently brush the background.

Ethereal synth curls around the other musical elements, adding illumination. The percussion has a shuffling hiss, supported by a massive kick drum. Hollow, floating sounds move along with an echoing, digital-sounding synth which contributes warmth.

“Visible Silence”  begins as a wobbling synth moves  along with nature sounds as the track begins. Gigantic drums throb heavily below as effulgent synth slips past  while bass rumbles far below. Percussion echoes with dominant  force as swirling notes intertwine with the heavy bass.

Softness and ease slides into the music in a way that I find deeply satisfying. Quickly shivering notes echo out across a bending background before the drums hit hard again.A shiny synth flows out with tranquility in contrast to the bursting weight below it.

Gentle sonic tendrils wrap around my ears as they extend through the music. Sparkling chimes flicker past while towering sounds reverberate before silence falls.

Metallic sounding, glistening synth swells into the music to open “Heart Beats.” Distorted vocals call out above truly colossal drums and bass. the low end’s weight and power shift while the vocals wind through.

There's a heaviness and a strong throbbing component to the track. I enjoy the way in which the drums and bass mimic a strongly beating heart here before the track ends.

Conclusion

Remote Communications mixes strong melodies with fascinating synth sound combinations, intriguing imagery and high quality production to create an album that compels me with each track. This is music I can listen to over and over again and hear a new element each time I hear it again.