Cat Temper - Cat Out Of Hell

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Cat Temper’s Cat Out Of Hell is a guitar-fuelled attack on the senses that oozes power, energy and a profound sense of forward motion. The music interlocks mighty guitars, leaping synth lines and intense percussion into a solid wall of life and strength. Adrenaline pumps through the music and all the elements conspire to send the listener's heart rate through the roof.

The guitar work on Cat Out Of Hell hits with ferocious force and seething strength.There’s an enormous amount of power in the guitars along with a rough-edged grit that fills them with character. Cat Temper has made the guitars into a physical force that imbue each track with muscle and sinew, contributing to the forceful nature of the album.

Cat Out Of Hell sees synths deployed in a way that suits the blistering nature of the album. The synth choices that Cat Temper has made all add to a sense of bursting energy and dynamic motion as they trumpet and flash through the other musical elements. I enjoy how the exuberance of the synths combines with the sheer propulsion of the guitars to keep the energy levels high.

Another strong aspect of Cat Out Of Hell is the melodic writing on the album. Cat Temper’s melodies are well-considered, memorable and contribute to the overall feeling of the album. The melodic content has a similarly energizing and dynamic feeling to the other musical elements and adds to the surging power of the whole recording.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Purradise By The Dashboard Light” starts off with rapidly leaping, energetic electric guitar arpeggios arcing upwards before massive power chords growl. A churning synth pattern adds more forward motion to the track, the high synth singing out in a triumphantly rising line. The synth pulse becomes rough edged and urgent as an engine roars around it. I enjoy the sheer dynamism radiating from this track.

Now the drums pound and throb and flashing, bursting synth chords adds light to the proceedings. The chords fly out beneath the insistent synth pulse and battering drums push the track onwards. A section with metallic percussion and a hollow, rattling drum is driven by the consistently energetic beat. The guitar churns out a rapidly spinning series of textural arpeggios and shimmering synth chords rise.

The track launches back into the “A" section along with the addition of snarling guitar. A segment in which brassy, tense synths climb in ever-tightening lines breaks into warmer, swirling synth arpeggios below gritty, slicing guitar. The music returns to the propulsive, pulse pounding synth pattern before a rapid drum flourish brings the track to a close.

Snarling electric guitar moves in sharply cutting lines and drums batter with ferocious energy to open “Hot Catootie.” The guitar is full of hard-hitting energy as it moves in a throbbing wall and nasal sounding, high synth wriggles in between the bursts of powerful guitar.

The guitar’s heft and the propulsive percussion add surging energy as flashing synth chords vibrate. A segment in which elevated, unique sounding synth writhes moves into the bending, leaping lead synth. The devious nature of the main melody is entertaining for me.

The ferocious guitar tide washes in as the high synth snakes in a minor key melody. Spinning arpeggios fly upwards in bright arcs. The guitar’s presence is dominant and the drums are on full attack. As the song winds down, the guitar’s blunt force is broken by trembling synth bursts and the dancing, wiggling melody sings on distorted synths.

“One More Hiss” commences as round-sounding, pulsing synth moves over broken, rough-edged bass and quickly bouncing drums. Now a steadily ticking percussive trickle moves in to add shape to the music. Twanging, jangling guitar carries a melancholy melody over the uneven pulsation below it.

The next minor key, broad-sounding melody brims pleasingly with mystery and uncertain intent. Dramatic vocal synths add more power as metallic, bending synth roams.The guitar churns powerfully and the writhing lead synth melody is devious and dark. Huge walls of guitar float out over the pulsating bass and come to an end with flashing instrument that echoes in the winding lines into silence.

Overpowering blocks of heavy guitar grunt into the track, lending an enormous presence to the music as “Bad For Good” starts. The guitar is joined by shattering drums and they blend into a snarling assault on the senses. Glittering, glassy synth flashes in carrying a melody that mingles light and shadow.

The guitar slashes in, a ragged sonic wound and wobbling synth punctuates the shimmering chime instrument. I enjoy the way in which the guitar is a raging creature split by descending, threatening higher synth as the drums and bass form a chest-punching wall.

This is music with weight and muscle to it. String-like synths saw in to create more terrified sounds as dark bass swirls and the guitar and drums form a maelstrom. Leaping, digital sounding arpeggios whirl through and the bursting chimes flash as the growling voice of the guitar lacerates and fades.

“Whiskered Youth” opens on an exceedingly deep, throbbing bass undulation as a sweeping series of bright, rough-edged notes floats above it. Warming, rich synth flows in to add depth and the guttural wall of a powerful guitar adds shadows while the massive drums slowly throb.

Now medium-high, gritty synth carries a melody pleasingly full of bursting energy and dramatic power as oscillating bass adds motion. A repeating low pulse shapes the music as higher, swirling synth carries a broken and yearning melody.

The guitar climbs in a darkly majestic sweep as open, hollow synth trickles in quick, light notes for contrast. Tense, high synth calls out in a minor key melody that flickers with a sense of adventure before the music returns to a more threatening feeling. The track ends on quick, shining synth bursts and drums.

Gleaming synth calls out in rapidly moving patterns that create a dynamic pulse as “Feral Angel” launches. A kick drum hits before snarling, deep guitar adds churning motion and the full drum kit comes in to increase the track’s energy further.

A trumpeting synth calls out in a motion-filled, uplifting melody as the guitars propel the music along. The brassy lead synth melody speaks of adventure and excitement as it charges dynamically. The track enters a segment in which deep, gruff synth moves in blocks before the trumpeting synth cries out again.

I enjoy the JRPG vibes that I get from the arcing lead synth melody. Guitar flashes in a yearning line and trembling, bright synth moves in rippling blocks. Cascading, glittering arpeggios whirl and the resonant, powerful guitar raises the energy level as quick tapping sounds shift in the background and the track fades out on flashing, trumpeting synth.

“Cat Out of Hell” comes to life as heavy, seething synth pulses steadily into a howling void and bright, broad synth climbs in powerful notes over the pulse. Gigantic, pounding drums and dense bass are blasted by a sweeping sonic tide. Hollow, shining synth notes flash out again in that climbing line as the solid throb moves far below. A distorting, medium-high synth carries a minor key melody with a thrillingly evil sense of triumph over the pounding weight and propulsion of the percussion.

Shivers of shadowy sound move before the melody takes on a more uplifting tone. There’s a return to the minor key threat as flashing sounds sweep through and the heaving weight keeps pushing the track on. The guitar roars out in brooding power chords below the dancing synth above it. The guitar chugs while the elevated synth twists through and the drums batter on. The track is massive and muscled now as it drives on to the end.

Conclusion

Cat Temper has combined an energetic, hard rocking sensibility with strong melodies, atmospheric synths and an ever-present sense of fun to produce an album that oozes personality. I am always interested to hear what this innovative artist comes up with and Cat Out Of Hell doesn’t disappoint.

You can find Cat Temper’s music here: https://cattemper.bandcamp.com

KENSHIRO+ - Of A Million Crowns

Review by KIZUNAUT

KENSHIRO+ is an electronic musician from Budapest, Hungary. He has his roots in the metal and hardcore scene, starting his musical ventures by picking up the bass as a teen. His current project was born during his university years when he started producing solo because he didn’t have the time to play in bands. While KENSHIRO+’s music has a solid base of synthwave influence, he has always been into the idea of blending together different genres, enjoying acts such as Nine Inch Nails and Celldweller that mix electronics and rock, heaviness and elegance. 

Of A Million Crowns is the third EP from the Hungarian artist. The EP draws its central themes from ideas that are unusually relevant to real-life events compared to a lot of synthwave music out there. Dealing with ideas of identity, the desire to give away responsibility to others and humanity’s collective burden of taking leadership for itself, the EP comes from a genuine place of powerful inspiration. Coming at the tail end of the Omicron Corona wave, the artist elaborated the ideas behind the EP to me with the following words: “(KENSHIRO+) is meant to express values and ideas that anyone can stand for or relate to… I definitely felt like I’m saying something we are all thinking: The world is collapsing above our heads ad we either learn to carry it together or it will crush us all”. 

Musically, KENSHIRO+ sought to find new directions after his previous EP, Vantablack Hearts, saying that he felt he had done everything he could with synthwave. Seeking ways to expand his sound, KENSHIRO+ sought to go for a heavier sound while also incorporating influences from post-rock. He also decided to incorporate some spoken word elements, feeling that they would be a way to elaborate on the central themes of the EP. The overall tone of the album hits a wonderful bittersweet spot, with many of the tracks sounding equal part melancholic and hopeful, fragile and defiant in a way that harmonizes with the core themes very well. 

The end result is an enjoyable mix of influences with a big heart, which however suffers somewhat from some production flaws. While the tracks have clarity and utilize the stereo image effectively, the EP is somewhat inconsistently mixed from track to track, and often the drums are lacking in impact. The production feels rather airy, not bad in itself, but I feel a more aggressively compressed style would have suited the material better. The flaws in production, however, are not severe enough to make the EP unenjoyable for me as the compositions and ideas are strong enough to carry it through.

On to the music itself, the EP starts with The Invitation of a Few (intro), a very short intro consisting of a bassline rising in volume, a string part and a with a spoken word part over it, narrating how humanity has become divided, it’s leaders have abandoned us and how people are now looking for a leader to rally behind, the “Monarch for the Rest of Us”. The intro bridges directly into Fate Is A Sleeping Slave, a synthwave piece that mixes together driving rhythm guitar with bending, sweeping string leads. The latter half is more atmospheric, featuring ethereal choirs hovering over the rhythm elements. A very solid and quite uplifting track.

You’re Still Yourself opens with a mix of deep synth bass, a bright saw arp and organ pads before the track kicks off with a rock-inspired rhythm, building up layer by layer, alteration by alteration as the track moves on. The mix of arps, synths and changing rhythms paints a kind of hopeful, defiant atmosphere and is perhaps the best example of post-rock influences on this album. The latter half features a spoken word part about how humans are the architects of their own identity. 

Behelit offers a bit more metal-influenced offering, bursting into life with a mix of sinister, mysterious arps, skittering drums and heavy, sweeping synths, alternating between more traditional darksynth parts and parts that very strongly recall metalcore played with synths to my ears. The latter half features a very synthetic breakdown that also brings in some rather esoteric sounding wailing choirs.

Not So Fragile is my favorite track from the EP. The track starts with dusty, forlorn synth horns before coming into life in a mix of bending synths and driving rhythms. The track has fantastic energy that mixes melancholy with optimism in a way that fits the name of the track perfectly. The breakdown in the middle of the track is extremely powerful and memorable for reasons that are hard to articulate: it reminds me of some kind of high-tech melee duel. 

The album ends with The Coronation of Millions (outro), which segues immediately from the end of Not So Fragile. It simply features synths fading out and the narrator from the intro returning, this time telling that all humanity’s candidates for leadership have rejected the crown, and instead humanity has chosen to take control of its own destiny. 

KENSHIRO+ has talent both as a composer and conveyor of ideas. While the EP is a bit rough on the edges when it comes to the production side, I think it only makes this more human. 

Of A Million Crowns comes from a rare place of inspiration, exploring current, very pressing issues in a fresh, original manner. I first listened to this when it came out several months ago, and it felt like it captured something very ephemeral about that transitional period out of omikron and into the future. Sadly, the future has turned out to be darker than expected, and it’s haunting to listen to it while a war rages on in Ukraine, a war started by a false king handed a false crown by people who found it more convenient than the alternatives. Rarely music captures so much of the zeitgeist with so much prescience and with so few words.

For more KENSHIRO+, visit kenshiroplus.bandcamp.com

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