Tenebran - Heartbleed

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Tenebran’s Heartbleed is an affecting and fascinating sonic journey across varied soundscapes that create contemplation, aching feelings and a sense of exploring new horizons. Tenebran has woven together a plethora of unique tones, timbres, and textural elements that create an enchanting series of pieces. I enjoy the way in which this album drifts and carries me along with the emotive expressions that fill the music. Each track becomes a tiny jewel of sound that combines into one fulfilling whole.

My first observation of Heartbleed is that the soundscapes are beautifully constructed. Tenebran has clearly spent a great deal of time contemplating how he’s going to approach each track and what mood he intends to convey. The way in which he takes unique auditory expressions and combines them into one tapestry is skillful and ear-pleasing. The music reflects all of the intensity of human experience as it unfolds.

Another part of Heartbleed that attracts me is the nature of the melodic content. Each melody that Tenebran composed is full of powerfully moving sensations. There’s no sense of disconnection or blandness within the music rather, there is a compelling feeling of connection and heartfelt sensation. The end result is charming and full of life.

I’d also like to showcase the imagery that unfolds throughout Heartbleed. Each track paints a different picture and engages different parts of one’s psyche. As a result, the tracks combine into a journey that is affecting and emotive.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Dive Into The Blue Of Her Eyes” starts with an ethereal tracery of synth and a softly pattering beat. Glowing sounds infuse the music as the rhythm explodes into active motion and a twisting, low end sound snarls. The bass punctuates the track with thick motion as the raised notes exude starlight. The foundation is dense and sharply slicing while broadly twirling tones fly above.

Distantly glittering synth sparkles like a galactic glow above the continually wrapping drums and bass. The bottom-end motion shapes brilliant notes which fill the music with a lunar halo before the guiding underpinnings move forward. There’s a powerful contrast between the cosmic scintillation of the high end and the dark weight of the low end.

The hypnotic main melody spins out before the drum beat smashes on. Like the darkness between the stars, heavier low notes wrap around the glimmering high notes before the track ends.

Soft night sounds and hushed lines, with a wobbling synth delicately caressing, commence “Just Chillin’.” Bass tumbles and the drums create a punchy rhythm that locks into a chilled-out groove as the background synth pours luscious radiance. The night sounds continue to move as the heavy bass surfs along while the synth chords climb with gargantuan strength, gleaming richly.

Diamond-hard tones shine from the lead synth as it flows while the hard-punching rhythmic pattern presses on. The chord changes give the music a softer sound, contrasting with the heaviness that slams below. The bass pulse undulates as hissing percussion slips through, the background exuding nocturnal calm.

Flaring notes give off gem-like luminosity as flatly tapping percussion moves with shiny, enfolding tones that pour out behind. The drums are ferocious in comparison to the glittering notes that cut through them. The kick drum lands with heavy weight while the gliding synth wraps my ears in gentler sound before the oscillating undergirding slams hard. The track closes as notes drift in a prismatic line before the music finishes.

“Happy End” opens as a fat, blaring synth is joined by a cruising rhythm and shining notes that exude warmth. The scudding tones are feathery as the rough-edged, encouraging lead synth swirls with a caressing sheen. The percussion is sharp and clean while the background rolls with rich sonic layers.

The main melody shines like a blue sky after the clouds have rolled away. Its uplifting nature touches my heart and transports me to a place of joy. The underlying beat is strong while coruscating notes evoke morning’s first glow on my face. The drums continue to throb strongly while a glistening synth washes past like the piercing sun.

Fragile notes tremble as solid bass architecture throbs to start “Hope and Despair.” The notes grow in strength, gleaming confidently, as the percussion flatly pulses and the bass undulates. Peaceful emotion glides out of the bending synth, tinged with hurt and loss, while the background glimmers softly.

Melancholy and contemplation fill the melody while the lusciously singing notes contribute tranquility. The pearly quality of the background adds a silver glow while a golden synth undulates with faceted radiance. Trumpeting notes shine like the sky at dusk, tinged by a pink sunset. High notes flicker like moonlight as a rhythmic pattern shapes the music.

Dreamy melancholy catches me as the track unfolds and my mind is carried away. The lead synth exudes life, capturing all of the mournful affection and hopeful meditation, before the music stops.

“Drive” starts off with deeply bouncing notes and a ferocious bass cascade full of insistent motion. Sharp percussion licks come before the drum beat smacks solidly and the dense synth oscillates in rebounding patterns.

The bass towers as a synth flares with a firefly-like shine, wandering through the music. An auroral glow is exuded by the elevated notes while the string-like tones carry a melody that is slow but unstoppable, washing like bioluminescent tides above the drum beat.

The entangling synth transports me with levitating power as the intense high notes spark with a radiant halo of galactic brilliance. The tripping synth intermingles with the hugely pounding undergirding to propel the track with conviction.

String-like notes carry a melody full of dark mystery as the track drives on, while ethereal synth in the distance shines feverishly. Underneath everything, the hypnotizing heartbeat slides into silence.

A wildly oscillating tonal pulse moves with the gut-punching drums to create irresistible motion as “Run or Die” begins. The drum beat kicks hard as the sharp-edged, shivering synth roams with tremulous energy and radiant high notes sparkle.

Tautly wound notes descend with blazing strength above the forceful percussion and dense rhythm. Smoother sounds glide through the music with meditative energy, carrying me along with them. The sharp rap of the low end mingles with the vaulting melody, crying out with fiery shine as falling notes cut with crystalline brilliance.

The endlessly oscillating synth flashes with fierce, engaging fire while the percussion and bass shove the track forward with propulsive drama. As the track ends, gentle sounds sail out into silence.

“Best Life” comes into being with notes that shine with encouragement above a sharply punching rhythm. Crystalline illumination pours from the lead synth as it spills dreamily above the heavy underpinnings. Tumbling weight thrums as the snapping beat pushes forward beneath the irradiating notes that call out with a feeling of liberation as the heavy bottom end pulses.

Slowly descending, blinding notes flicker as the steadying low end moves forward. The lead synth has a phosphorescence to it as the melody unfolds with a hint of wistful emotion along with the tender caresses of the notes. As the propulsive pattern shapes the music, slowly gleaming notes flicker while the punchy beat continues until the track ends on fragile tones.

A storm rumbles into life with heavy thunder and rain to commence “Heartbleed.” Reverberant percussive pulses move with an undulating bass that cuts with heavy darkness. The distant synth hovers with fragile elegance as shimmering notes wash above the crushing bass. Flickering brilliance flares from diamond synth while the bass tumbles and raised notes shine like the obscured sun.

A washing tide of shimmering luminosity slips past as the solid undercurrent throb. I feel meditative and full of deep emotion as the track unfolds. The supporting bass is rich but hard-edged while the distant notes flicker like the sun piercing the edge of a storm cloud. Clapping percussion echoes as the rapidly vibrating bass shifts, and the feeling of melancholy is cut by a thunderclap before silence falls.

Conclusion

Heartbleed is an album that pierces me to the core and fills me with a mixture of emotions that is satisfying and touching. This is a listening experience that takes us on a trip through human experience.