Ether Diver - Tales Of Etherspace

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Ether Diver’s Tales Of Etherspace is synth-based music that overflows with fascinating sounds and complex textural interactions. The album weaves a tapestry of gentle, dark, unsettling, distorted and energetic synth sounds that hides unexpected twists and turns within its threads.

The sheer variety and range of the synth sounds used on Tales Of Etherspace is a large factor in my interest in the album. Ether Diver explores the full scope of sonic variety that synthesizers can create. The sounds run the gamut from distorted wobbles to piercing metallic jangling, exploring unique timbres and tones on the way. I couldn’t get bored with this album because there’s always a new auditory tidbit to hear.

One pleasant surprise for me on Tales Of Etherspace is the melodies that arise from out of the wild intricacy of the album’s sonic environment. The melodic content is often expressive and full of emotion, in contrast to the experimental complexities that surround it. I enjoy the extra depth the melodic writing adds to the overall sound of the album.

The use of sonic contrast is another feature of the album that I find compelling. Ether Diver creates many musical moments in which contrast between different sounds adds more layers and complexity to the overall picture. There are contrasts between darkness and light, delicacy and weight and in dynamics as well. The end result is increased richness and depth in the album.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“No Gods; Only Monsters” opens as a small, dark synth sound pulses and bounces, quickly joined by medium-high, echoing synth dancing out. Thick, strong drums throb and bright, elevated synth flashes out with a flaring light. Bouncing drums pop behind the other sonic elements as the slightly rough edged, glowing synth carries a hopeful melody above it.

I enjoy the yearning feeling in the melody as it unfolds. The surging melodic segment is broken by rising, twisting notes and the steady, hollow and bouncing drum keeps pulsating to guide the music. A tight, thin sound weaves through with a gentle feeling melody and below it the drums and bass add depth and weight.

Powerfully throbbing drums create a gigantic heartbeat as “Simple Waveforms on a Magnetic Medium” begins.  Medium-low, broad-sounding synth carries a melody that mingles power and shadowy energy while a wandering synth with a vocal quality drifts through.

Raised, gleaming synth carries a well-crafted, mysterious and gentle melody along with flickering chimes. The track floats out into a resonant, metallic synth swirl below a higher, hissing sound and broken percussion. The lost, delicate and enigmatic melody floats and then fades into quiet.

An actively oscillating bassline moves below raised, gleaming synth to kick off “Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day (If Your Mind is in the Right Gear).” A series of metallic percussion sounds and a hollow, steady drumbeat creates a powerful sense of propulsion below the medium high, nasal sounding synth carrying a tender, softly caressing melody.

I am drawn to the way in which that melody moves in chopped segments. Another percussive pulse taps out a slow rhythm as a dense, rushing sound roars through the music. The slowly wandering, bright melody keeps spinning out above the low end’s massive power. An indistinct voice chatters in the background while the hollow drums reverberate and the thudding beat continues as more fragile sounds wander over top and the music fades.

“Twisted Trees, Winter Tiger” starts as hollow, distant sounds swirl and reverberating bass pulses.  A radio transmission echoes out into vast field of air, giving the impression of outer space’s openness. The distant voice is surrounded by emptiness, sounding forlorn. A rumbling sound is touched by ethereal, diaphanous sounds and a steadily expanding noise. I enjoy the utter desolation which has been created in this track.

Vibrating, twisting synths flow out in trembling lines as an elevated, slowly sweeping sound floats through to open “Coven of the Outer Dark.” Bubbling, wobbly vibrations move underneath as a sharp, tense sound cuts in. Clean, raised synth chimes in to add brittle brightness as long lines of lower sound move into the open space around them.

Watery bass spills out through the music to form a pleasingly undulating line as razor-edged sounds shift. Distant, elevated sounds shimmers constantly over the sweeping medium-high synths and the aquatic upwelling below. Raised, flickering synths begin to fade out into silence as the track ends.

“Desire for Freedom Does Not Beget Freedom from Desire” comes to life as an active, dense sound forms a slightly uneven rhythm underneath brassy, distorted synth carrying a roaming melody. The lead melody drifts in flashing notes out over a rubbery bassline which quickly becomes a deeper well.

Sonic fragments flow with wandering, uneven motion. I am drawn to the fragmentary synth’s lackadaisical quality as it contrasts with steady bass depths.  The track breaks into an actively shifting bassline and fades on the choppy, roving melody.

Sparkling, raised synth delicately echoes out in a mournful line to bring “Even the Strongest Swimmers Falter Among the Tides of History” into being. Elevated notes flow and a deep gong rings before being broken by a higher gong. Ultra-high synth wheedles through the music as the sounds of bird song and nature move in.  Warmer synth flows up to surround the listener’s ears as rough-edged, heavy bass contrasts with the lighter sonic elements.

Tightly wound synth trembles through the music, sounding lost and untethered over the gigantic drum and bass weight dropping underneath.  Gongs ring out in a gleaming melodic pattern that pulls me into the track. There’s haunted sound flowing along with more aquatic noises as the chiming high synths ring out in their flickering pattern and the track ends.

Conclusion

Tales Of Etherspace is experimental synth music that doesn’t lose sight of the fact that it can still be enjoyable as a listening experience. Ether Diver seems to realize that experimental music can still remain ear-pleasing and engaging while exploring boundaries. To learn more about Ether Diver, visit Bandcamp here.

Kiffie - Pixelation

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Pixelation is digital-sounding, lyrically interesting synthpop showcasing Kiffie’s unique vocals and his intelligent songwriting. Ear-catching sonic interactions and fascinating synth instruments combine with propulsive drums and bass to bring Kiffie’s musical vision to life.

A major reason for Pixelation’s success is Kiffie’s voice in my view. He's a singer with the ability to make his voice sound bleak and gentle at the same time. There’s a measure of desolation that permeates his singing, but there is also an aching build up of emotion behind the bleakness. He can sound coldly robotic one moment and the next, he’ll sound deeply human. It’s a contrast which I enjoy deeply.

The lyrics on Pixelation are also a strong attraction for me. Kiffie crafts words that wander between loss, anger, pain and deep affection. His songs explore the lives we lead and our often complex and messy emotional states. I enjoy how he can deliver nuanced and sometimes devastating messages in a minimal number of words. Brevity works well for Kiffie on this album.

All of the musical elements on the album are well-judged. There are some unique instruments that generate sounds which suck me into the music and they combine to form undeniably digitized, but expressive soundscapes. KIffie has a knack for using his synth palette to craft texturally rich, tonally engaging music driven by a strong, percussive heartbeat.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Pixelation” begins as bouncing, hollow synth drums carry a slightly uneven beat as chiming sounds twinkle in the distance. The drums crescendo and Kiffiie's ghostly, drifting voice carries a wandering melody. Shadowy, elevated synth plays a repeating pulse while the drums keep the same steady pulsation. Kiffiie's vocals manage to sound desolate and hurt simultaneously while  shimmering chimes wander.

Hard-edged, growling synth slices in a compelling melody with an ancient sound, reminiscent of Nordic folk music. Elevated, repeating synth blasts out in a high cry as a snare drum and a tapping metallic sound move in. The bleakness in Kiffiie's vocals matches the lyrics as the steady drum and bass pulse flows on and an elevated, metallic sound ticks.

Elevated synth pulses like sonar over the steadily bouncing drums. The main melody, carried on a synth reminiscent of traditional pipe instruments, has a timeless and ominous quality that is matched by Kiffie’s vocal performance. The song ends on a surging sonic pulse and jangling, ringing bells.

The narrator talks about “the lies we tell ourselves” and how we don’t need “those people” as he also adds “we can all be equal.” He points out that some people are “born to rule” and they won’t give that up also adding that others “don’t obey the rules” and avoid capture. He says, “Don’t you understand? We don’t need those heroes.”

Our narrator adds that politicians don’t have to “join the people” to fight to make enough money to eat and “pay for real.” He says that if he has to “rescue you from harm” he won’t fail to take that person away from a boring life, adding “to live is to feel.”

The storyteller explains that we are lied to about the facts that  “we are not those people, we were not born equal.”  He talks about how “pixelation” is hiding from the “things they steal” and concludes that “there won’t be a sequel.”

Rapidly throbbing drums dance out into open space as “Stay Awake” starts. Kiffiie's voice is ethereal above the angular synth that bounces into an oscillating line.  Elevated sounds flow above the bursting drums that alternate with slower segments and blocks of slowly moving bass shift heavily. Kiffiie's vocals are tender yet icy in a way that suits the song well.

A raised, shining synth melody glides far above the other musical with a gritty edge.  Sharply angled synth bounces and moves through the darkly drifting pattern around them, The angular synth bursts into dynamic life while swirling, elevated sound uncurl above the gently frozen vocals. Round-sounding, cascading synths cry out above the heavy-hitting drums and bass and around Kiffiie's haunted voice.

Our storyteller addresses the song’s subject, asking them to shut their eyes and not speak. He goes on to ask the other person to “lay down under my eyes” and adds “don’t look at me so terrified.” He asks the song’s subject to lay on his skin as he says that there’s “no need to be preoccupied.” They can close their eyes and not talk. The narrator asks the other person to “close your mouth around me then lay your love upon me.” As the song comes to an end, he says “don’t say a word, it’s alright. Stay awake all night.”

“One More Night” opens on a dully thudding kick drum and a vibrating percussive sound. Trembling, bluntly gruff synth moves in uneven pulses and Kiffiie's pained, bereft vocals are joined by a drumbeat alternating with the blunt, rough edged synth pulse. I enjoy the way in which the vocals are spectral and lost over the hypnotically repeating drum and bass pattern.

The vocal melody is full of a lonely ache as high, full synths repeat in the distance. The drumbeat has a trance-like quality followed by the chanted chorus pierced by nervous-sounding, high synths. The drums thunder and break underneath along with the undulating synth pattern leaping in a rising line before fading.

The narrator explains to the other person that he has to leave “even if you want me” and “even if you need me to stay.” He says that he can give one more night and then he has to “leave and board the plane, I need to fly.” Again he apologizes and says that he has to go, even though “I don't believe it took so long to find you and now I need to leave.”

Digitized sounding synths undulate in actively moving lines while the drum beat drives “Kissy Kissy” forward. Kiffiie's empty-sounding voice adds to the song’s robotic feeling as angular bass throbs in a shifting motion.

The drumbeat keeps hitting hard and nasal, deep synth forms a richly jumping melodic pattern. Elevated, glittering synth flicks through rapidly evolving note patterns. Kiffiie's voice chants the hypnotic line. There’s a fidgety, energized sensation in this song. All of the wriggling, trembling synth parts draw me in from the nasal, bursting bass to the flickering higher synth waves and the insistently ticking drums.

There’s a contrast between the narrator saying that he’ll take his love away but replying that no matter how long that person stays, he’ll never say “that I am fed up with the the things that you do” or throw their love away.

He adds that he won’t tire of “the silly things you do” and that he wants the other person to stay and “never take my love away.” He adds “but if you’re ever used to me and you can no longer see, I Iove you more each day” he’ll never throw his love away.

“Feline Fire Daemon” commences as airy, rapidly whirling arpeggios spin out in leaping lines. Kiffiie's voice takes on a warmer, more expressive feeling in this song and solid drums add a pulsation below the textural arpeggios.

There’s yearning need in the vocals as solid, oscillating bass moves below the tapestry of densely packed arpeggios. The drums and bass create an uneven pulse as flute-like synth carries tumbling notes. Kiffiie's vocals call out, deep with feeling.

The flute-like synth is  charmingly delicate and drifting as it contrasts with the jumping arpeggios and active bass line. As the song ends, the flute-like synth becomes clearer over the tremulous drums and soaring vocals.

This song is a declaration of love as the narrator says that he’s “falling in your eyes” and that the other person can say their goodbyes. He points out that it has been some time since "you remembered how to smile.” He goes to to point out that it has been too many days “since you had this to say” and many years in which “you have cried too many tears.”

Now the narrator has come into the other person’s life and he tells that person that “there’s no need to cry, I fall into your eyes.” He says, as he's falling to that person’s eyes, “you need me now!” As the song draws to an end, he finishes by saying that “I need you now.”

Buzzing, electronic, wide-open synth is joined by metallic, bell-like noises and thumping drums to kick off “Time.” A bagpipe-like synth plays distant and tense notes while Kiffiie's voice solemnly, emotively chants, The bagpipe synth adds the quality of an ancient lament to the music.

Kiffiie's voice is hurting and full of a timeless quality which I find pleasing. The music has a broken, twisting feel in contrast to the gentle lyrics. The constantly ringing bells lend a ceremonial quality as the drums guide the music on. Kiffiie's chanting, wavering voice calls out while dark notes descend. There’s a reverent quality in the music before it ends on metallic chiming.

This song is a paean to a deep and enduring love. The narrator says, “All this time I lay awake and dream of you In my arms.  In my arms, I breathe in you for ever more. I think of you and holding you. Holding you in my eyes 'til the end of time.”

“I Love Synthpop” starts off as full, resonant synth arpeggiates in densely rising lines and thick bass flows. Easily pulsing drums guiding the music as a hollow, ethereal pipe synth carries delicately touching melody imbued with gentleness. Arpeggios arc and undulate as the drums burst into an interesting rhythmic pattern and the breathy synth melody floats like a feather on a summer breeze.

The arpeggios add depth and dynamic motion to the track. The drums guide the music over the velvet bass while the tender melody flows. Now the track moves into a section in which rough-edged synth chords climb in between round, yearning sounds as the drumbeat pulses. Cosmically drifting, gossamer synth pipes carries the tremulous melody before ending on oscillating sounds.

Conclusion

Pixelation mingles Kiffie’s distinctive vocal style with engaging lyrics and a synthpop background that is full of aural interest and strong energy. As a whole, I felt that this was charming, touching music that made me perk up my ears and listen. To learn more about Kiffie, visit him here.

RAN - Exopolis

Review By Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

RAN’s Exopolis is a powerfully delineated journey into a dystopian city, full of emotional guitar power and intricately interlocking synths. RAN paints aural imagery of darkness, hope and a strange future as the album unfolds. It is music with richness and depth as well as boundless energy bursting from it.

Perhaps the strongest aspect of Exopolis is RAN’s guitar playing. The man is a bonafide guitar monster who can imbue the strings with energy and life. He can shred like a maniac, but never departs from musicality. There’s a palpable sense of presence in the guitar solos, making them feel as if the voice of a living thing is being channeled through his guitar. So much character and dynamism pours from his guitar and out into the album.

Another strong aspect of Exopolis is RAN’s use of synths to create a cinematic backdrop for the music. I know the word “cinematic” gets bandied about but in this album’s case I think the term is apt. The synth palette is intricately interwoven to paint strong images in the mind’s eye. All of the various synth sounds come together to create moments of energy, intense beauty and deep sorrow. The emotional depth of the music drew me in and fully immersed me.

The other aspect to the album that I enjoy is the cohesion within it. As the music unfolds, it becomes all of a piece. One track moves into another and the transitions feel smooth and don’t jar. The end result is an album that weaves a rich sonic tapestry which unfurls without interruption.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“The Road to Exopolis” starts off with an intense metallic rush before an exuberantly bursting drum and bass pulse leaps in along with hard-charging guitar. There’s a quick drum fill and vibrating synth sounds spin as the lead synth melody flies out with a triumphant glow. The guitar growls as the drums and bass throb with gigantic power. Guitar chords lend energy to the track as elevated, shimmering chimes repeat a taut musical pattern.

Hard-hitting drums propel the music as swirling synths drift and the bass pulse joins the worried chimes. The guitar takes up the victorious melody as it cries out in slightly shadowed lines. I am impressed by the way in which the whirling, madly flickering guitar solo twirls and leaps as the drums and bass charge on.

RAN’s guitar skills are on florid display as the strings create a hurricane of intricate notes. The lead synth takes up the powerful melody as the raised chimes sparkle with flashing light. Underneath it all, the drums and bass charge on along with guitar weight, rushing to a conclusion.

Mistily flowing synths sweep in an airy rush, tinged with a vaguely ominous feeling to open "Silicon Graveyard.” Gritty synth cuts in along with heavy drums to launch the music. High, shining synth with a nervous feeling creates a flickering, ghostly note pattern as jagged bass snarls and massive drums throb.

The bass’ creaking grunt and battering drums underpin the high, arpeggiating synths that raise the musical tension. Harsh bass oscillates to support the raised, sparkling lead synth. There’s a pained but quietly hopeful quality to the melody to which I am drawn.

There’s a drum fill and minor key, darkness shrouded synth clouds move with the sharp-edged bass as the percussion drives on and spectral sounds rise in the distance. Glittering synths arpeggiate with a worried feeling and the melody shines in again, hurting and yearning, as the drums and bass push the track towards an end.

“EPD Highway Patrol” kicks off as smoothly whirling, gleaming arpeggios leap along with flaring synth and heavily pulsating drums and bass. Tumbling synth with a broadly spreading shine climbs in dynamic lines. Twinkling, minor-key synth cascades in a pattern full of barely contained energy, positively crackling with intensity.

The glowing lead synth pattern imbues the track with a sense of acceleration and motive power as the drumbeat surges. Flying arpeggios add to the track’s speeding feeling and after a drum flourish, RAN plays a ferocious tornado of a howling guitar solo. The drum and bass solidity underpins the wild rawness of the guitar.

The impassioned solo unfolds in skilfully interwoven notes. There’s a bursting quality to the drums and bass while the guitar shreds and rockets along. A climbing, flying synth pattern surges forward over the drum and bass intensity below it. Shadowy arpeggios dance and the whole track explodes with life before fading on the tense arpeggios.

Rapidly tapping percussion and warmly glowing synth that flares through the music to bring “The Swing District” to life. A weighty bass pulse moves in a slightly uneven pattern as swelling synth chords touch the music and tripping drums shape it. Hectic, angular synth moves in a revolving pattern as smooth chords rise.

The drums burst again and a trembling, medium-high synth plays a melody effectively mixing gentle feelings with a sunlit glow. A nasal, medium-high synth carries a flowing melodic line with an easy breathing feeling. Round-sounding synth chords bounce in an energetic pattern as slipping sounds trickle in the background. Nasal-sounding synth notes urge the music on in an encouraging pattern over the steadily bursting drums.

After a drum fill, the yearning melody sails out on a full-sounding synth over the oscillating bass and pulsing drums. RAN’s guitar whirls and flies through a solo that reaches skyward, crying out and spilling lush tendrils through the music. The driven, dynamic lead melody and the guiding drum return before the guitar cries out in the distance, imbuing the music with even more life.

“Ashen Skies” opens as pained piano chords create a mournful feeling as they slide through the music, imbuing it with deep emotion. The piano melody is gentle, brimming with sorrow as the drums guide it. Rough-edged bass throbs powerfully and string-like synths call out and add more hurting emotion while the contrasting guitar is fierce and dark.

The track is slashed by an elevated synth howling out the main melody in an arcing line that is broken by RAN’s guitar. I enjoy the way in which the minor key guitar solo takes breathtaking leaps and sobs with emotion over the gruff, snarling bass and battering drums.

Elevated, metallic synth arpeggios float into the music. Very high synth shines with the broken-hearted melody and drums and bass push the song on. The raised synth falls back into the emotive piano part, tinged with loss and despair.

Clear, gleaming synth moves in a coruscating cloud over hard-hitting drums as “That Fateful Day” commences. Wide-open, intense guitar sings a melody that is majestic and full of portentous feeling over the deep bass pulse and guiding drums.

Once again, I am drawn to RAN’s guitar which he makes into a mad thing, bending and writhing with passionate life. The drums and bass form a tide that sweeps the music along as the guitar moves in its dramatic melody and out into silence.

Conclusion

Exopolis is an album that creates a sonic world within itself. Each element contributes to the storytelling and the end result has depth, weight and intricacy woven into it. RAN tops it all off with highly impressive and powerful guitar performances that serve to deepen the music.

Diamond Ace - The Mechanisms of Color

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Diamond Ace’s The Mechanisms of Color is an emotive, intensely interwoven sonic journey exploring life, love and the struggles we all face in dealing with it all. Diamond Ace’s guitar skills mingle with vocal performances by Mayah Camara, Roxy Fae, Rory Lynch and Retroglyphs (who also contributes his guitar chops) to imbue the songs with deep feeling.

All of the singing and lyrics contributed by the guest artists are a major reason why The Mechanisms of Color succeeds. Each performer brings strong singing voices to bear on the well-written lyrics that they’ve contributed. I enjoy how individual and expressive each singer is and how their abilities elevate the whole album’s sound.

Diamond Ace and Retroglyphs both add skilful guitar playing to the album. The guitars explore different tones and feelings as they lay down clean melodies and intricate, emotive solo parts that dance through the music and intensify the journey on which the album takes listeners. The musical layer they add lifts the songs up one more level.

The synths that Diamond Ace uses on the album are all carefully chosen and combined to produce a rich, complex and well-integrated sound. There are a tapestry of interesting, varied sounds that move from sparkling heights to rumbling depths with many detours through gentle, powerful and pained synthscapes along the way.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Where We Started”  comes into existence as limpid, sparkling synth trembles in waves and grows in strength over a flowing bass tide. The bass has an almost physical weight to it and the bright chimes shimmer above it.

The bass forms a strong pulse and the heavy hitting drums throb in to increase the density of the track’s low end. The chimes twinkle and shine out over the solidity of the jumping drums and bass, forming a muscled surge. Synth glows with lucid clarity above the powerful weight underneath it as sweeping winds drift through the track.

There’s gigantic power in the drums and bass, adding profound propulsion in  fascinating contrast to the delicate shimmer above as the drums drop out and the crystal chimes fade away into quiet.

Medium-high, effulgent synth rapidly wanders in oscillating patterns though “Kaleidoscopic’s" open spaces as the colossal kick drum throbs and solidly gliding bass swells. Now the drums create forceful forward motion underneath wildly cascading, shining synth patterns.

Gently caressing, elevated synth trails airy tendrils through the music as it carries a charmingly tender melody over the drum and bass motion below it. Slipping synth moves in trembling lines over the active bass as glittering, high sounds ripple in undulating patterns. The lead synth floats in again to lightly touch the ears, exuding feelings of cloudy ease, while the continuous drum and bass pulse moves the track forward before winding down to silence.

“Thirteen Horses” opens as distant, fragile synth slowly builds in the background before pulsing drums and solid bass underpin Diamond Ace’s guitar. The guitar’s strings exude expressive emotion over the laidback synth glide and shaping drums.

Retroglyphs' voice is breathy and aches with feeling over the strong drum and bass motion. I enjoy how Diamond Ace’s drifting guitar increases the song’s emotional depth. Warm synth waves lap against the touching guitar as it sails distantly through the music. Retroglyphs' vocals beautifully capture a feeling of loss as they slip over the steady pulse underneath them.

The guitar flows in a smooth line that unfurls with a light touch and supports the rising, emotive vocals. Now broad guitar notes shift in a lost-feeling melody. Unique, hollow percussion forms a different pulse as the bass lifts the other sonic elements. Retroglyphs' hazy voice lifts up over the drums and bass underneath before the song ends.

Our narrator opens by saying “there I am at 22, nothing left to prove” and talks about how he went running back to the song’s subject also with “nothing left to prove.” The narrator refers to taking a gamble as he’s unable to pick even one of the “thirteen horses” he mentions.

The storyteller has told an unnamed group that he was supposed to have left that night, but has lied. Again he repeats that there were thirteen horses but “with my luck, I couldn’t pick them” out and concludes that “And then I lied.”

A twinkling bell and string-like, shimmering synth is joined by Rory Lynch’s emotive voice as with distant piano washes through to start “This Life.” Bass oscillation and solidly hitting drums propel the music as a dreaming sax echoes out. Rory Lynch’s richly expressive vocals float as throbbing drums guide the music on.

The vocal melody carries wistful emotion in a superb way as  sax accents deepen its melancholy. The song moves into a segment in which the percussion drops out and sparkling chimes flash in.The guitar sings out in resonant, touching notes over the piano chords and bass flow.

Rory Lynch’s singing imbues the words with meaning as a spinning guitar arcs out in a full-toned, widely ranging guitar solo.  I enjoy the solo's jazzy freedom as it wheels and soars. Underneath it, the drums throb with energy and the sax cries out and hurts into silence.   

Our narrator’s pain and loss is palpable as he talks about how “this life was just a hopeless cause” and says that “this song” wasn’t meant for him. He goes on to wonder if love is only “a warm body” laying next to him and a soft voice speaking to him.

The narrator’s outlook is bleak as he says that because our deaths are inevitable “maybe life’s just a big hose.” He goes on to say that “this life was just a hopeless call” before adding that it seems like nothing ever comes out of it. Our narrator says that “you get lonely, get lost in the city” but it doesn’t make any difference at all.

An actively moving bassline and echoing, trickling strings open “Appreciation” as Roxy Fae’s airy, easy-flowing voice carries a delicately caressing vocal melody. Guitar notes reverberate out into open space over the guiding drum pulse. Mayah Camara’s lush, strong voice trembles with feeling as solidly throbbing drums shape the music. The guitar glides out in slipping notes over the bass oscillation and drifts alone.

Mayah Camara’s voice fills the music with deep expression, intertwining with Roxy Fae’s supporting vocals. The song floats out into a drifting, gently caressing section. The two singer’s voices layer in more emotion over the bass density and depth before Diamond Ace’s guitar carries a yearning solo full of need and desire over the shaping drums and bass.

The narrator talks about how the song’s subject turns her away because “that's how you show your friends that you're in control” adding that they “haven’t in a long time. She says that the other person doesn’t push her “‘cause you know I’m right” adding “I need a little more appreciation.” Our narrator asks, “Haven’t you seen the best of me?”

As the song continues, the storyteller asks for an apology and some more appreciation again. She requests that the other person try to "treat me like your 100%, miss out on your friends tonight” and points out that they can see them another day. She adds “make it your plans to get close to me.” The narrator ends up concluding that “I don’t wanna talk about it, I heard it all before” and finishes on the line “we haven’t in a long time.”

"(Untitled 4)” commences as quickly cascading, spinning arpeggios are joined by thick, heavy bass. Diamond Ace’s flickering guitar carries howling notes that leap out over the bouncing drumbeat and pulsing bass as the intertwining, glittering synths fall in tumbling patterns.

The guitar is driven by the massive bass as it growls and smoother, round, medium-high synth bubbles through in repeating, sparkling patterns. The guitar part skillfully mixes shadows and pent up energy over the jumping drums and thick bass. Diamond Ace's guitar cuts through to contrast with the brighter arpeggios shine as tense synths also swell.

The guitar takes on a smoother, more easy-going flow as arpeggios keep whirling in intertwining threads and the drums guide them on.  Intricate guitar notes drip with blazing emotion, leaping out above the churning power that surges below. The track ends on distorted, falling notes moving into empty space.

Conclusion

The Mechanisms of Color is an album full of intertwining synths and guitars, strong vocal performances and an expressive sense of emotional exploration. Diamond Ace and his guests stepped up and the end result is a great deal of listening pleasure. To learn more about Diamond Ace, check him out here.