C Z A R I N A - Arcana

Review by Mike Templar. Epilogue by Chris Magdalenski.

Galicia, Spain-based New York native and dark electro artist, CZARINA (styled as C Z A R I N A on all platforms) recently released her highly anticipated sophomore LP, Arcana, under German gothic label darkTunes Music Group. Cosmic, mystical, yet also feral and ferocious in nature, Arcana (meaning “mysteries” or “secrets” in Latin) is a celebration of epic proportions of nature, life, love, wisdom, faith, survival, consciousness, truth, the laws of the universe, and one’s own completion. The record showcases the vast dynamics and full range of CZARINA’s songwriting, composition, production, and artful lyricism, and has been meticulously crafted to mirror and articulate the mysterious depths and facets of the artist’s mind and spirit.

I remember CZARINA sinning in a tweet that Arcana should have been her debut album - it was the work that best identifies her. However, I think that Painted Holograms was necessary on her way for Arcana to be born in the first place. I would add that Painted Holograms may even have been under-noticed. Though, I agree with Vero Faye Kitsuné that Arcana is the culmination of her CZARINA career so far. Each track in Arcana harnesses an eclectic mix of dark electro, synthpop, orchestral baroque pop, gothic new age, and progressive rock into one, cohesive and thoughtfully designed sonic signature that is both ethereal and heavy-hitting, and has become CZARINA’s very own hallmark sound. I could also make some references here to bands and singers that I think sound similar. But this is still inappropriate, because without exaggerating, I think CZARINA has really managed to develop her own sound that deserves more attention on the international stage. Her album is available in various versions, which are graphically elaborate and also very exclusively designed by her husband, DeadlyKawaii. Some versions include, among other things, a set of mystical “Arcana” cards. I will specify more details about the different editions at the end of this review. 

Note that CZARINA made several professional music videos for this album, which I highly recommend you to watch. These videos tell short stories in a visually elaborate way, in which CZARINA created her incredibly great costumes herself, and her husband responsible for most of the visual effects. Many of these videos also show the wonderful and fabulous nature of Galicia. You’ll find some videos in this article and CZARINA's Youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/c/CZARINAOFFICIAL.

But for now, let’s dive into the album titles and be assured that quite some titles will stay in your head after listening to them. I will use some of CZARINA's own title abstract and add my own thoughts in each song. Furthermore, check out what Chris Magdalenski has to say about the album at the end.

The album embraces mysticism and starts with the progressive rock and new age number “Celestial Satellites” — a ritualistic call on all forces of nature and the cosmos, featuring thunderous drums, a medley of tribalistic gothic chants and arpeggiated guitars against a backdrop of symphonic synths which all create the marquee soundscape throughout the record.

The first track is indeed a brilliant start of the album, telling about a pair of dancing satellites bound to the Earth's gravity and doomed to orbit the Earth until the end of time. This is not the first time CZARINA has used the theme of gravity, and it is indeed interesting if you think of gravity as a prison that holds us to the Earth's surface. Otherwise, the two satellites could float freely through the universe. As you may have noticed, the song doesn't have a classic beat, but uses offbeat snares. You'll find more interesting beat patterns and rhythms on the album and fortunately not only songs in classic 4/4 time, which makes the album much more exciting

Her critically-acclaimed, chamber-infused synthpop single, “Wonderland” follows as a special ode to her newly adopted home in Galicia, which she refers to as her “sacred wonder” and sanctuary of magic and mysteries.

The music video for this track is a search for seven mystical elements, or do they even stand for the seven chakras, which are to be opened? Then all the stars align and the chosen ones will liberate the earth. As mysterious as the song is, it's up to you to interpret this fabulous story. The track pulsates steadily as CZARINA performs with quite a wide range of vocal tones and choral interludes.  A standout element of the song is the piano, which varies between two catchy, alternating melodic patterns. These and other well-composed elements and their vocal performances make many of the songs catchy tunes that stay in your head.

“Atomic: Ad Initivm” was the first single that has been released from the album and has in my opinion one of the most memorable chorus. The song also has pulsating bass and has some-kind of ethereal feeling to it as well as greatly chosen synthesiser sounds and a fast danceable beat. The song seems to reflect out of what we are built. But the biomedical field already has answered this! Has it really…? I think it’s a clever text and reminds me of „Popper's three worlds“ theory. 

The monstrous art rock number “Excelsior” takes the listeners to new heights with tantric polyrhythms, odd meters and eclectic vocal, guitar and drum performances by the artist rendered into one continuous, giant crescendo crashing wave upon wave.

This song has a beautiful, repetitive bell melody in the background until it breaks out into a fulminant and strong chorus that pounds the toms like in a tribal ritual and is one of my favourite songs. Energetic, and with euphoric and meticulously combined background vocals, a story is told of achieving the sublime, which however can rarely be achieved alone and requires a partner — seems to be a veiled love song, which is what I'm reading out here. The song is accompanied by an electric guitar, which gives the song even more power, but never comes too much to the fore and only supports and reinforces the vocals.

CZARINA takes audiences further into a world of magic and spirit with the delicate Winter Solstice offering, “The Fox’s Wedding” — an organic and symphonic orchestration of wondrous love and spiritual union only the universe could conspire to design as inspired by East Asian folklore the track was named after.

“The Fox’s Wedding” is one of my favourite on the album too. The song shines with a wonderful soundscape and a mystical-chirping synthesiser in the background. This ballad is complemented with slow-striking violins, which give the song rather a heavy touch and yet the overall work tells of hope. The orchestral percussion, which contains the sound of castanets, rounds off the work and lets you revel in distant worlds.

The album continues with the baroque and chamber electro “Medusa” — a dark incantation inspired by the famous Greek myth that calls for all hidden truths to be unveiled.

This song is full power from beginning to end, blaring a beat at 140 BPM. The fast songs on this album are more in the realm of Assai and above than Allegro. The song tells of the truths that outlast all lies in the end. A wake-up call to become aware of the end again — something that is ignored to absurdity in our time. Also this song shines with well-chosen synthesizer and again by an immersive bass, which crackles nicely in the higher frequency ranges in the wide stereo image, just to my taste.

In “Cities In Dust” CZARINA pays homage to gothic icon Siouxie Sioux and covers the dark, apocalyptic vision with cinematic orchestral arrangements, giving the darkwave classic her own signature imprint.

I must confess that I did not know the song, or at least could not remember it. I discovered lots of good music much too late, I must admit. CZARINA's cover is her very own version; she gives the song her own signature and the result is more than successful. She also uses a bell synthesiser, which plays the background melody, as in the original. Furthermore, a gong sounds at selected places. CZARINA's ability to modulate words almost arbitrarily in tone and to sing in the most varied vocal registers comes into its own here very well. I could imagine this cover very well in an epic and cinematic work as a soundtrack.

The record reaches its summit and enters post-apocalyptic realms with “Lost Lands” Inspired by Denis Villeneuve’s Dune remake, “Lost Lands” rumbles in its thunderous, progressive metal treatment, cinematic soundscapes, and valiant lyricism that harkens bravery in the face of calamity.

“Lost Lands” is another massive work of vibrant energy that contrasts with the more mellow vocals in the verses, but which become stronger in the chorus. Every now and then a guitar plays in the background, adding even more intensity to the song that rather already has. This song is massive and vehement and tells fittingly in the imperative what to do. I said at the beginning that I do not make comparisons to other artists, and even if each has its own unique style, Björk comes to mind from time to time when I hear Arcana in some parts. Björk also manages to create massiveness in some of her work and also an often used pulsating bass with almost tribal percussion can be seen as a parallel. As an example, I reference to the song "Hunter" from the album "Homogenic" (1997).

The record finishes off in a cosmic trance with a final journey to outer space in “Til The Last Star: Cosmos” — a sentimental, spacewave pop ballad about traversing the ends of the universe for a chance for true love.

“Til The Last Star: Cosmos” is another favourite song of mine, even it might be the most commercial one on the album, but I find it such a beautiful song to which I can withdraw and dream. Maybe also for the reason that I myself often create darker music. In the end it possibly tells the most important story of all: "The truth is in your eyes". That's all I'll say about the last track.

The album Arcana is a powerful work of art in every way: Musically, artistically, visually, lyrically and vocally. I am always careful to call something perfect, because too perfect is often avoided due to unconscious reasons. But what CZARINA has created here with the support of her husband in the graphic area and with the help of Von Hertzog (Co-Producer, Mixing and Mastering Engineer) is pretty perfect. The lyrics have content, the songs are professionally composed and conceived, even if I have the feeling that a lot of intuitive work has also gone into it, which actually always makes everything a better work. Vocally, CZARINA delivers an incredible and extensive work here that I don't think very many artists can do; notice all the background vocals, the second voices and the variance in the pitch and modulation of her voice — an incredible result!

I highly recommend everyone to listen to a few songs, most enjoyable of course with the help of the greatly produced videos.

- Mike Templar

Chris Magdalenski is a SciFi/Fantasy novelist as well as a guitarIst and electronic music composer and creates his own music under the name Dark Matter Seance. Read what he says about Arcana:

To say that I am a huge fan of CZARINA's work is an understatement.

Since discovering her on social media a couple of years ago I can confidently say that she has been added to the canon of not only my all time favourite artists, but also my favourite people.

She is a modern day Bowie, with all of the talent and artistic vision channeled into a persona that is something akin to a trans-dimensional mystic priestess. A enigmatic guardian that stands at the nexus of our reality and infinite others.

Her skills in music are matched by her skills in art direction, storytelling, and performance. To listen to a CZARINA song is to be transported to another place and time, with the most recent album featuring thundering beats and primal vocals that evoke fever dream visions of a strange alternate history when magic and technology exist side by side in a continual battle against the forces of darkness.

If by now you’ve deduced that this isn’t a traditional album review then you’re getting to the point of my musings on not just her newest album Arcana, but her entire body of work. To me, going though each song one by one and breaking it down from a critical perspective isn’t necessary. There are plenty of individuals out there who are far more capable of doing that than myself. I’m far more interested in talking about the experience of listening to a CZARINA song, or watching a CZARINA video or live performance, because that is exactly what it is; a fantastic experience that is teeming with energy, inspiration and musical passion.

Don’t take my word for it. Check it out for yourself.

About Arcana:

All songs in Arcana were written, composed, arranged, performed, recorded and produced by CZARINA in her home in Galicia, except for “Cities In Dust” which was originally written by Siouxie Sioux, Budgie and Steven Severin. Von Hertzog (VHxRR, Information Society) of The Social Club (Reading, PA) served as Co-Producer, Mixing, and Mastering Engineer, providing additional production input and final touches to finesse the large dynamics of CZARINA’s new sound. The album art and all visuals were created by DeadlyKawaii and CZARINA together.

Arcana is available as a special limited edition CD package featuring all 10 tracks on Bandcamp and darkMerch.com. In celebration, the record release is accompanied by a special limited distribution of CZARINA’s very own branded Smoked Black Rosé Cider also called ARCANA, handcrafted and distributed by Skald Cellars (PA) in the US only. The record will also be followed up with a series of new music videos which will be released throughout the year under darkTunes Music Group.

For more CZARINA, visit czarinaofficial.com.

RUNAWAY DROID - Dangerous

REVIEW BY KIZUNAUT

RUNAWAY DROID is a Synthwave artist from Helsinki, Finland. From 2018 onwards, the extremely prolific artist has been working with a diverse range of styles within the genre, from cyberpunk-influenced pieces to 80s rock throwbacks and beyond. Over the course of the three past years he has released numerous singles and 6 albums, which include a great number of collaborations and various guest vocalists. 

On his newest album Dangerous Runaway Droid offers a thematically, sonically cohesive slice of decidedly 80s inspired music. It’s dangerous the same way as Kenny Loggins’ Danger Zone is a danger zone, so not really, but it’s all good, mostly rather light, extremely 80s fun. I appreciate the choice to release a very coherent album that draws from a single pool of inspirations. While Runaway Droid had in the past produced many good individual tracks, I found his albums a bit too all over the place stylistically to really enjoy as albums. Dangerous on the other hand is a joy to listen to, both on the level of individual pieces and as a whole. 

While Runaway Droid got his musical ventures started as a guitarist, the album is save for a few exceptions, extremely synth driven. We are treated to a mix of catchy leads and synth hits that borrows from the best of 80s pop. There’s also several strands of 80s soundtrack music within this album’s DNA, bits and pieces from the more curious synth offerings of the 80s and maybe even a tiny touch of Freestyle and early hip-hop beats. It’s quite varied, yet unified by a singular retro aesthetic. 

While the album is heavily inspired by 80s pop, it’s also instrumental, and I personally prefer it this way. I have a strong preference for albums having a single vocalist, if they have vocals at all. Rare few artists can really pull off the guest vocalist approach when it comes to albums. Runaway Droid has had a talent for finding interesting and talented collaborators, but I find these diverse collaborations best presented as singles and a bit all over the place when presented as parts of an album. 

Beyond these tasteful album structure choices, Runaway Droid also presents what is to my ears his best songcraft yet, offering catchy melodies, groovy rhythms and great layered synthwork. I found myself repeatedly listening to this album and it quickly rocketed to be my favorite of his releases yet. It’s light-hearted spirit was the perfect counterpart for all the dark music I consumed during the Spooky Season. One can not live on Halloween candy (or angst) alone.

The production side of the album is a mix of modern and 80s sensibilities, the drum tones, orchestra hits, lead tones and reverb-drenched production being very 80s, with occasional visits from more contemporary sounds. The overall production style is rather warm, atmospheric and airy while still maintaining enough punch in the percussion department to move things along. At times the choice of sounds reminds me a bit of a modernized take on 16-bit era game soundtracks. The production is solid and very well fit for the aesthetic that the album is going for. 

DANCE kicks off the album with high energy, opening with a cavalcade of dramatic synth hits over a steady bassline and beat. The song alternates between three different sections, each featuring a progressively lighter, more upbeat sound. There’s a very strong 80s pop vibe to the two more upbeat sections and some ineffable quality that makes me think of beach volleyball. The interplay between these parts and the more dramatic, darker section gives the track good contrast and life. One of my favorites from the album. 

The title track Dangerous opens with a filtered intro that leads into an instrumental synthpop song that is every bit as pop as the opener, yet also has a more melancholic, serious quality. The verses feature a mix synth hits, airy synth bells and subtle arps, while the choruses offer a potent mix of dramatic, defiant synth horns, bending synth leads and sweeps of saxophone. The interplay of elements and synth layering particularly in the choruses is rather impressive. 

Highway One offers an explicitly outrun-inspired piece that opens up with a steady pulsing bass, a flurry of synth hits, passes of synth percussion and a bending lead that has a slowly opening filter sweep. The lead gives way to an arp, only for the arps to soon give way to the lead again, this time played at a higher octave. A section with a nice percussive synth pattern comes in, followed by a section which prominently features stabs of synth brass. This is followed by a section where a new, darkly dramatic arp pattern is introduced, before the bending lead from the beginning plays once again. A fine composition that oozes coolness, though perhaps for this type of music the bassline could have been a bit more upfront. 

Clandestine Operations is perhaps the funkiest offering from the album, with a bit of an Axel F vibe going on in it’s mix of syncopated beats and body-moving yet melodic synths. Sharp hits of synth saws, clicky synth bass and quirky pitch-bending synths sketch out the melodies and rhythm patterns of the song, occasionally in hectic bursts, occasionally in more relaxed sections. Sounds like a lost buddy cop movie theme song. A big favorite from the album. 

A filtered mix of synth arps and lush pads serves as the intro to Fast Lane, which offers a bit more melancholic vibe than one might gather from the name. A steady beat and bassline serve as the speedway upon which the various synth arps and leads that make up the track race upon, casting the mood of a ride to the sunset. There’s occasional detours, starts and stops as the beat occasionally gets syncopated or vanishes entirely for a while, dissipating the energy, only for the track to pick it up again. The main melodic motif is rather memorable and I can imagine this being a hit live. 

Training Montage opens with a decidedly 80s drum pattern that perhaps pays tribute to a certain classic pop song, but soon develops an identity of its own. The track offers melodic, energetic synthpop that builds up energy and layers as it progresses, alternating between sections that sound more serious and determined and sections that sound more lighter and triumphant. It’s a good presentation of the theme of the track. 

Black Rain opens with sounds of rain, a steady bassline and a fateful-sounding synth arp. A very nice, melancholic yet sharp synth melody and an airier counter-melody come into play, leading then into a somewhat sparser section where the fateful, saw-synth arp plays the main part, the bright melody sketching out melancholic tones in support of it. An extended bridge featuring the arp and sounds of passing cars as well as rising synth pads comes in, then leading into a section which is one of the rare splashes of guitar on this album, offering some rather tasteful lead work. The sharp melancholic melody repeats once more before the track goes into an extended outro featuring the same instrument playing a bit more clustered melody. A big favorite from the album for it’s dark, passionate and cool sound. 

M.A.C.H.I.N.E offers a track that is decidedly lighter in tone, presenting a driving, tight mix of synth hits, rhythmic leads, sharp percs and rolling arps. There’s a rather quirky character to it all, reminding me of a toy factory that has started dancing. One of those songs that is just begging for an accompanying video. 

High-Speed opens with police sirens and a filter-swept arpeggio before opening up into a rocking, groovy, guitar-heavy retrowave piece. Swirling guitars and synth hits keep the song in motion, bursts of slap bass adding to the groove. The chorus features a heroic, defiant synth brass melody.. Runaway Droid also demonstrates his guitar solo chops on this song during an interlude.  

The next song slows things down a bit as Reflections offers melancholic and atmospheric, dreamwavey piece. Ethereal synth plucks play the main role in the verses, with the choruses featuring a sharper lead tone which sketches out a nostalgic melody. A steady bitcrushed bassline hums under it all. Intermittent synth hits give the track a bit of extra drama. 

Time Warp - OUTATIME Mix kicks off with an interplaying mix of synths and guitars. Bright, plucky synths, wet synth brass and bass play with each other as the guitars loom in the background. The song offers one of the coolest choruses of the album, with a nice, juicy bending lead and resonant rhythm synths carrying the chorus with bravado. The song repeats twice before an interlude where Runaway Droid pushes the guitars to the foreground for a while, after which the song repeats for one last time before the album ends.

Dangerous offers a definitive evolution of Runaway Droid’s songcraft and artistry and is a very solid offering of fun and diverse retrowave. If you enjoy 80s music and are looking for something to lighten your mood in dark times, this album is an excellent choice. It certainly found its’ way into heavy rotation on my headphones. 

There is also an extended version of the album which got released a bit later, but I found the 1 hour 19 minute runtime rather excessive. I found the original album’s runtime very optimal for my tastes. Those who fall in love with this album’s sound and desperately want more (and perhaps those who are more willing to hit the shuffle button while listening to albums) will probably enjoy the extended version more than I did. 

For more Runaway Droid, visit runawaydroid.bandcamp.com

The Last Arcade - If Not Us

Review by Thorisson

Embed Block

Add an embed URL or code. Learn more

Steve McNally, Steve Erickson and Paul Garret are the names that make up Liverpool outfit The Last Arcade. The band burst onto the synthwave scene this summer with their debut single When We Were Young, and have already accrued a catalog of mouthwatering releases.

Their latest, If Not Us, is a testament to their ability to dig deep into the realms of nostalgia and create music that simultaneously fills you with euphoria, joy and a touch of sadness. This song brings back fond memories of my childhood in the 80s, and I wasn’t even born then. The authentic soundscape is beautifully complemented by vocals that do a great job of reminding us that we are, in fact, still in 2021. Indeed, If Not Us manages to achieve that perfect balance between nostalgia and contemporariness—topped off with a subtle commentary on today’s climate crisis with the hook “if not us then who”—making it an unmissable piece on the Thorizone.

With their debut album on the horizon, we are eager to hear more from The Last Arcade!

World Premiere: CZARINA - Medusa

Today is the Algol eclipse - the gorgon star in the Perseus constellation. This star is also known as Medusa’s star. Today, Galicia, Spain-based New Yorker, synth and electronic artist CZARINA (styled as C Z A R I N A on all platforms) unveils her latest Darkwave and Baroque Pop Single, Medusa.  Based on the ancient Greek mythology about the legendary serpent-haired gorgon, Medusa is a song about time eventually unraveling all hidden truths from beginning and the end - “the Alpha and Omega.”  According to the myth, Medusa was once a beautiful maiden wrongfully punished by the warrior goddess Athena after the ocean-god Poseidon defiled Medusa in Athena's temple.  Athena transformed Medusa’s beautiful hair into horrible snakes and her gaze that turns men into stone.  Throughout history, Medusa has been associated with monstrosity which CZARINA sings with cynicism, “Cuz I’m the predator, I’m predator,” even though she’s the true victim in the ancient myth. In today’s culture, Medusa has been retransformed into a powerful symbol of feminine rage which the track celebrates. CZARINA reinvents Medusa in the accompanying new music film into a stunning force of revenge soaked in art deco majesty and gives her personal thoughts on the subject and project.

“Since I was 9 years old, I’ve always been fascinated with ancient mythology, legends and ancient history. Something about the ancient world resonates with me throughout all various chapters of my life. Even when I was designing, my collections have always centered around the ancient world in terms of aesthetic narratives. The one story that always bothered me was the Medusa story. It is the ultimate gaslighting, victim-blaming, heavily manipulated story that turned toxicity into something heroic. Some accounts of the story depict Medusa being pregnant with Poseidon’s child at the moment of her demise under Perseus’ hands - her precious life expendable to save a very beautiful and privileged (yet damn weak-ass) woman, Princess Andromeda. It would behoove to note that Medusa, treated as a monstrously feared outcast, was the only single entity powerful enough to destroy the monster that threatened King Cephus’ realm and his people. Yet she was expendable because she was different. Even tho so much of history, myths and legends have been rewritten to fit some narrative or perspective, I’ve always disagreed with how often strong women get portrayed and how that stigma still lives in the modern patriarchal society to this day; women being preferred to be soft, weak, seen and not heard as embodied by Andromeda. The Medusa story itself embodies the metaphor for a lot of the prevailing systems of injustice ranging from misogyny, racism, bigotry, hate. I wanted to honor Medusa by giving my own twist to the dynamics of her story with a powerful revenge ending: As a mighty feminine symbol beheading four pillars of injustice on the day of her star’s eclipse.”

(Thank you to my dear pal Polaris Van Samus for noting the badass astrological synchronization with the release date.)

Written, arranged, performed, produced and recorded by CZARINA, Medusa is an eclectic mix of ‘80s goth and darkwave, heavy-hitting club banger soundscapes mixed with ethereal qualities of a simulated chamber orchestra and a full-scale choir performance by the artist.  Von Hertzog of The Social Club (Reading, PA), provided additional atmospheric sound designs, along with mixing and mastering. All of CZARINA’s cover art and visuals are conceptualized and created by her and her husband, the artist DeadlyKawaii. Medusa and its accompanying music video are now available across all platforms. It is the third single from CZARINA’s highly-anticipated sophomore full-length record, ARCANA, due early 2022.   

CZARINA is Vero Faye Kitsuné, an award-winning electronic musician, producer, songwriter, filmmaker, creative director, designer and visual and performance artist. She is known for her multi-disciplinary approach that combines transcendentalism and new age mysticism with her love for futurist culture, cybernetics, biomechanics, ancient artifacts, mythology, folklore and the discipline that comes with her Budo martial arts training.

CZARINA’s unique soundscape seamlessly melds electronic with organic sounds, transcending a vast spectrum of genres including progressive synths, art rock, Baroque pop, cyberpunk, industrial, trip hop, post-punk and darkwave. Her eclectic list of musical and visionary influences include Nine Inch Nails, TOOL, Massive Attack, Bjork, The Knife, Fever Ray, Puscifer, Vangelis, A Perfect Circle, The Cranberries, Enya, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, QUEEN, Blondie, Kate Bush, Siouxie Sioux, Tori Amos, and visual masters and storytellers Masamune Shirow, Yoshitaka Amano, HR Giger, Hayao Miyazaki, Katsuhiro Otomo and Hajime Sorayama. CZARINA takes her audience into a new dimension, filled with atmospheric and cinematic synths, a full orchestra and heraldic choir chants, shimmering arpeggios, sonic guitar riffs, catchy melodies, powerful vocal hooks, and poignant, thoughtful lyricism that compels one to look inward, around and beyond the material world. 

CZARINA is part of darkTunes Music Group EU.  

For more info and updates, visit http://www.czarinaofficial.com

Bandcamp: http://czarinaofficial.bandcamp.com

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/czarinaofficial

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CZARINAnyc

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/CZARINAnyc