To The Stars We Return - Lonely Astronaut: Beyond the Cosmic Horizon

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

To The Stars We Return (TTSWR)’s Lonely Astronaut: Beyond the Cosmic Horizon sings with deep emotion and paints imagery evoking outer space’s majesty and vast emptiness through a textured, nuanced mixture of instrumentation. I find this music both touching and engaging as it unfolds with poise and expressive richness.

All of the moods, feelings and tonal colours that the piano can create are in evidence on Lonely Astronaut: Beyond the Cosmic Horizon as it spins out its tale. TTSWR has written music that allows the piano to capture and evoke loss, pain, triumph and intense beauty. He uses it to add support to the other musical elements as well as carrying expressive melodies that fill the album with intense emotion and sonic imagery.

The way in which the instrumental palette is used on Lonely Astronaut: Beyond the Cosmic Horizon allows TTSWR to create musical detail and paint strong mental images. Synths that sparkle and float mingle with resonant strings that add textural lushness, not to mention emotional strength. There are lonely, elevated synths trailing delicate tendrils and bass sounds that evoke the depths of space. Taken as a whole, these elements weave into one enchanting tapestry.

I also enjoy the way in which TTSWR isn’t afraid to emote on the album. There’s no hesitation in being vulnerable and creating music that is full of feeling. Sometimes music producers pursue a sense of cool at the expense of touching human feeling which absolutely doesn’t happen here.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Overture Of The Traveler” comes to life as high, trembling strings cry out and echoing piano carries a slowly shifting melodic pattern. Elevated strings wheedle above the melancholic

piano pattern as it fills the space. Throbbing percussion drives the music on as the piano keeps up a textured motion.

A whistle-like synth instrument effectively creates a wandering, lonely feeling in its melodic pattern. Repeating piano notes are hypnotic as distorted, pipe-like synth wriggles in mournful motion above the hypnotic piano notes to create a swirling effect. The track ends on elevated sounds seemingly calling out in warning.

Stuttering, tapping drums with a hollow echo create an uneven beat to open "Negative Dimension.” An angular, cutting synth pulsates in between drumbeats. Ethereal choral sounds float in drifting lines, creating a hauntingly delicate pattern to which I am drawn.

Sweeping wind and dramatic, medium-high synth form an ominous soundscape, while digital-sounding synth notes give off a starry flicker. Dramatic strings add motion as they undulate, also contributing a shadowy quality that fills the sonic space.

Harsh, airy sound repeats as the broken, tripping drums shift underneath angular strings flowing in tremulous lines. Mysterious strings move with sparkling synth and uneven drums. Rounded, tech-y synth carries a melody shot through with ache and tragedy as the Theremin creates haunted feelings.

“Lonely Astronaut - Reprise” starts as resonant lower strings play a vibrato laden line. The elevated strings carry a gently pained melody that hangs suspended above the lower strings. Reverent choral synths surround the melody. Gleaming strings carry sharply pulsing notes along with distorted sound wriggling in the distance.

Twisting, open-sounding synth drifts along, amplifying the music’s evocative sense of loss. Thundering drums and a majestic piano melody create power and depth, throbbing drums radiating strength. There’s also a feeling of growing hope in the face of loss as strings add resonance and open-voiced synth flows before the track ends.

Warm, tender synth rises creamily as brighter piano chords glow to begin “Horizon Part 1: The Edge of the Known Universe.” Enfolding, soothing synth arises and intertwines around steadily moving piano chords. I enjoy the way in which the piano is tinged with hope and dreaming as high synth adds a wistful quality.

Sadness also radiates from the piano while the background synth creates a caressing sonic environment as the drums now add motion. Medium-high, gruff synth carries a triumphant melody, full of sweeping drama. Yearning and pain characterize this track. Silken synth washes easily and the track fades on wandering notes, trembling into space.

“Horizon Part 2: We Look Up” commences as ringing, gliding sounds enfold the piano’s victorious but still tragic sonic shading. The piano mingles aching and hope as raised, sparkling sound touches the track lightly. Now the string section beautifully adds rich textures and strong emotions, the violin sings and piano chords guide the music.

Cosmic, elevated sounds whistle out and drift along. A lost and mournful sound echoes abovethe hurting piano as strings add depth and a full resonance. The piano is bright, bass forms steady pulse and the violin is full of expressive pain. Active electric bass moves and choral voices complement the delicate piano as the track fades on flashing sound.

An uplifting, hopeful piano melody twirls through “White Sky/Black Stars” along with breathy, swelling synths. Bells ring out and hollow, slowly moving synth sails through while the piano melody flashes with tender feelings, underpinned by gossamer synths. A raised, tumbling synth floats above the energizing, but still wistful piano.

I enjoy the emotional depth of TTSWR’s music as expressed in this album. Airy sounds sweep and the piano blooms, becoming even more light laden, as it unfolds a positive melody. Strings lend an aching glow to the music, contrasting with the gleaming piano. Gentleness fills the raised sounds and the track ends end on breathily fluting notes, open sounds and a hint of the choir.

Big, wide open drums pop and stutter as “She’s A Comet” begins. A reverberant snare drum echoes out into the musical space. Elevated, tightly wound sound moves slowly, drifting into the distance while massive drums keep slowly pulsating. There’s a fragility to the raised sounds that is so vulnerable and affecting to me.

Loss and wandering qualities fill the high synths as the strings slowly slip along with worshipful choral voices that sail through above the guiding drumbeat. I enjoy this piece's peaceful sensation tinged with more troubling feelings as it unfolds. Slowly spinning sounds spiral through in the distance while the spaced out choral sounds make for a feeling of respect and something eternal in the music.

Underneath it all, drums continue to add shape and an elevated, glowing instrument plays climbing notes. Clean, raised sounds shifts with fluting notes that tremble while a nasal, very high sound wriggles and twists. Open-voiced synth sails along as a taut, nasal sounding instrument sings a melody with a journeying feeling before silence falls.

“In The End It’s All Stardust” begins as ringing piano flows out, carrying a melody that skillfully mingles hope, wistful feelings and something tragic. Swelling, rounded notes support a string section that is full of tenderness and caressing sensations.

The piano exudes tremulous, aching emotion as flowing synths intertwine and glide together. Strings add richness and more yearning as they resonate into the track. A very high sound adds a starry glow and we end on far away, feather-light synth.

Conclusion

Lonely Astronaut: Beyond the Cosmic Horizon fills me with intense feeling. Listening to the album is a journey through beautifully layered synthscapes with an orchestral quality to them. I find myself transported across starry gulfs of space and through loss, yearning and moments approaching joy as the album reveals itself.

Peacecraft - Songs For When The World Ends

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Peacecraft’s Songs For When The World Ends is full of vulnerability, fragility and melancholy that is shot through with brighter and more positive emotional threads. It is lofi music with a great deal of sensitivity and musical quality. I find that it takes me on an expressive musical journey as the album unfolds.

Songs For When The World Ends showcases Peacecraft’s piano performances and overall compositional skills. He plays with a great deal of feeling and it shines through, even with the lo fi sound profile. Peacecraft has written pieces that bare his emotional soul and fill the listener with deep sensations. I feel very connected to his music for that reason.

Atmosphere absolutely drenches Songs For When The World Ends. The wavering, trembling and distorted sounds add an element of uncertainty and tentative feeling. The delicate piano often radiates melancholy and loss, while the resonant strings and synth accents deepen the overall ache in the music. I also find the moments of light glow more in contrast to the elegiac sensations on the album.

Peacecraft also resists the temptation that some lofi producers seem to fall into to phone in the music. I feel that he’s always engaged in crafting music that touches the soul and is of great quality. I can sense that this project is important to him and of enough emotional significance that he pours himself into each note.

I also want to add that Jacket’s production on the album allows Peacecraft’s full musical expression to be realized. He captures the overall emotional tenor of the music and his production choices help showcase all of its qualities.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“And We Move On” opens with slightly distant and fuzzy piano chords wavering along wth the sound of rain pouring and a steady pulse of distant drums. The piano melody has a vulnerable fragility to it that touches me deeply.

Clapping percussion moves as the rain washes through the music with a gentle splashing. There’s something hopeful in the soft piano melody while the left hand creates shadow along with more tragic emotion. Ticking percussion moves before a wind drifts through and the song ends on the rain falling.

A fuzzed out crackling sound fills the track as a gleaming piano shifts in ethereal lines to start “Distant Memories.” A slow arpeggio spins and minor key shadings add a vaguely ominous quality. Something pained shades into triumph in the music as far away arpeggios turn.

The piano is airy and throbbing bass and steady percussion effectively add contrasting weight. The main piano melody has an aching emotional core as bell like sounds twine through the music.

A steady bass rumble underpins the track while the dense piano chords undulate with darkness oozing from them. The hurting, slightly broken piano melody is touched by a soft crackle that adds a slightly unsettled feeling. Hollow digital sounds float in the distance before the track ends.

“Solemn Contemplation” begins as distant rain again flows and muffled, hollow drums keep throbbing to shape the music. Melancholy synth notes move with a lugubrious feeling above extremely low frequency bass.

Open chimes ring out with a slightly metallic quality and flows into the music. The chimes feel uncertain along with their feathery, breathy quality. Bass slips below an even synth tone that wavers above aching, slowly shifting chords.

Rumbling bass shifts and chimes carry a tentative melody with a charmingly wistful feeling. The drums have a very light touch as the tender piano sings out. Bass darkness underpins the piano’s gentle pain and caressing feeling before we end.

Shimmering piano spins out in arpeggiating notes along with resonant, string-like sound to commence “Life In Happiness.” Trembling, buzzing notes are joined by rich strings as high piano flickers.

I enjoy the way in which the string section adds lush depth and mournful emotion. Trembling sounds wrap around the main piano melody’s dreaming ache to it that tugs at the heartstrings. Chimes twinkle while dense bass rumbles and a rippling sonic cascade tumbles down through the track.

Warmth pours from the strings and tinges the music with majestic feeling. There is a memory of happiness here, rather than the more immediate experience of it. Above the other elements, elevated chimes undulate while the strings add a gentler emotional layer.

“Time To Wake Up” comes to life as air rustles and bending synth carries tentative and delicate notes. Metallic, tapping percussion echoes into open space along with nature’s breathing life. The melody has a rather uncertain and hesitant quality that I find deeply touching.

Hollow, pipe-like synth undulates through the music as solid drums throb and skip while birds sing. Hollow pipes ripple and wavering, bright synth carries a hesitating melody while skipping drums guide the music. Gleaming synth distorts as the melody becomes more tentative before natural sounds end the track.

Wide-sounding, descending synths shift through a shivering, glittering background to open “Wake of Tranquility.” Drums snap and tick to guide the track. Piano moves with mournful and shaded chords while a mid-range sonic vibration wavers.

A repeating piano figure sparkles beautifully as strings twang and ripple while drums pop and static crackles. Bass flows in a river as strings vibrate out in powerful chords. Elevated synth rises over top as the rich piano chords also move through. Higher notes keep climbing and now metallic strings call out while the tender piano flits through with heavier chords below.

“I Think I Think Too Much” starts off as flowing air underpins a piano melody that hurts but also dreams as drums scud along to provide motion. Uplifting emotion radiates from the piano melody as it unfolds, surrounded by swirling sound.

The piano conveys wonderful optimism as it glides along and twinkling sonic stars shine above it. The piano slips through the music, carrying the caressing melody through and out into silence.

Static sounds fizz and a lost, distorted piano wanders as "Is This The Future?” opens. Confident chords ring out before echoing, slowly shifting drums shape the music. Brittle, muffled piano cries out mingling hope and loss above low bass underneath ticking drums. The piano’s soothing emotional tenor is affecting for me.

The main melody contains a little hurt that is leavened by more positive and encouraging emotional content. Floating, far-off piano leaps and dances as Peacecraft demonstrates his skill.

The beat keeps pulsing as light flickers from the piano’s keys and steady, ticking drums throb. An element of triumph from the piano is reflected in the strong left hand part. The track ends on fragile piano and slight static crackle.

Conclusion

Songs For When the World Ends is lofi music with real heart and soul. Peacecraft has gone above and beyond to make music that is plain good, regardless of what genre label it is given. I am moved and touched each time I listen to this album.

INDIGO by Indigo

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Indigo’s INDIGO is a fusion of unique synth sounds with her distinctive vocals and expressive songwriting abilities.This is synthpop at an elevated level which explores complex emotions and contains a showcase for its principal creator’s talents. I am drawn to the directness of her lyrics and emotional depth in her voice.

Indigo’s voice is a major reason this album succeeds. Her voice has a timbre that balances a breathy quality with strength, There’s a tender and soothing quality that can spill into seduction with ease. The way in which she moves between these moods allows her to capture the mingled emotions within her lyrics and add colour to the vocal melodies.

Songwriting is an art and Indigo has honed her artistic skill to craft lyrics that are expressive without being overdone. Her talent lies in writing words that are direct and straightforward, but able to put clear images in a listener’s mind. I enjoy the vivid and emotional connection her songs make with me.

Finding a musical balance can be tough to do but I enjoy the way in which Indigo puts her vocals at the forefront as Steve Wilcoxson weaves a synth tapestry around them. Her choice of synths creates interesting mixtures of timbres, tones and moods as they roam from light to shadow, from spring breeze to a raging gale. She always allows her voice to shine but supports it well musically too.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Ride” bursts with need, affection and melancholy. Lush, slightly broken lower synth is touched by glimmering chimes as the song opens. Low synth undulates and trembles before drums slowly guide the music along with a rich bass flow. Indigo’s vocals have a tender, enfolding quality and the vocal melody is gently affectionate.

A guitar adds depth as it pulses out medium-high notes as Indigo weaves a loving melody, full of caressing emotion. Slightly broken, vibrating synths ripple out and the chorus leaps, Indigo’s vocal is full of deep expression over bursting drums and pulsating bass pulsation. Flowing synths tumble together as oscillating bass adds more energy to the throbbing drums before the song ends.

Our narrator speaks of feeling lost again at night. She asks the song’s subject to “hold the wheel, hold me and drive.” She expresses a desire to “close the door on it all” and put it behind her.

Now the storyteller speaks of rolling the windows down and going for a ride. She says that they have “one more ride to be lost in the night.” She asks “Can you decide If we’re chasing the light until the sky divides…” and they can find a hiding place on that night.

Gliding, lightly pulsing synth is joined by gently shining notes shifting in tendrils as "A Setting Sun” begins. Gigantic drums burst and Indigo’s impassioned, pleasingly expressive voice carries a softly touching melody as digital sparkles tumble through the song. Pulsing bass shapes the music as shimmering, high synths flash out.

Indigo’s voice is enfolding and draws the listener in as towering retro drums throb. Slightly indistinct synth twines through the track to add increased tenderness. Diamond sparkles flicker out and big drums shape the music as twinkling notes interlink. The gentle vocal melody unfolds before Indigo’s voice is divided into many threads, weaving in and out before fading out flaring synths.

The storyteller talks about how the sunset “for us feels like a memory” as it flows over her slowly. As time comes and goes it “feels like a century” that has passed by rapidly. She is content to be with the object of her affection and it doesn’t “have to be forever.”

She asks the other person to “tell me now or it is never” Our narrator now says the sun has set like “an empty memory” soon left behind. She says that all of the time was “ours to love” while also being “a touch so temporary.” She concludes that “I’m right here if you want me.”

“Falling Apart” commences as brittle, string-like synth trembles in flashing notes supported by dense bass flowing below. Urgent, sharp-edged synth pulses and bass throbs. Indigo’s breathy, delicate voice carries a melody that is draws me in with its painful longing.

Angular drums and bass throb and strumming, string-like synth cascades though the track. Drums patter and rush as Indigo’s easily flowing voice carries a descending chorus above the flickering strings. Oscillating, undulating bass and steadily guiding drums press the song on.

Indigo’s vocals are strong but still vulnerable as quickly spinning, bright synth winds through the music. Propulsive drums and bass join dancing, string-like synth vibrations. Low end sounds drive on as Indigo’s voice slips through before the song ends.

The narrator says that she feels that “when the writing’s on the wall” she can hear the other person calling and then “you cut me down to fall.” She talks about how they are falling in and out of love as the other person is “calling me out” and taking her down and around.

Our storyteller realizes they’re falling apart and she feels it “wth a broken heart.” She knows that the other person tears her “up and down” as she follows them “around to the ground.” The storyteller feels like she’s standing tall, despite seeming like “I’m nothing at all.” She ends by saying that “ I won’t forget to call.”

Strong, positive piano chords swell beneath delicately glowing synth to kick off “Lost Nights.”

Drums throb heavily and Indigo emotes with tremulous feeling. Broadly gleaming synth notes fly out along with a rushing drumbeat and pulsing bass. The vocal melody beautifully combines hope, a yearning for better times and melancholy emotion.

Drums and bass charge on to imbue the music with life while the piano chords entangle and elevated notes glitter. Broadly brushing snare drum touches the track. Indigo’s caressing voice soars up in the settling, uplifting chorus as it shows a light glimmering against the darkness. Glimmering, crystalline synth notes twinkle as the sharp-edged bass fades out into shimmering notes.

Our storyteller says that she lost herself in the streets and finds in “the signs that lied” a path that “leads the way” in a shattered maze. Now she finds that “the light divides and then multiplies” and carries her like a wave. The narrator says that she saw herself “in a crowded line” adding that she’d hoped to find a place to stay as a “lost and lonely stray.”

Now the narrator says that “the sun fell down on a broken town” and carried her away. She goes on to talk about the other person holding her tightly “till we break in the morning light” because it is a shadowed night that they might find.

“Stay” begins as reverberating, richly flowing synth slowly floats out before drums throb hard and angular, medium-low synth flashes out. Indigo’s voice is mellow and deep with feeling carrying a melody that pleasingly mingles energy and yearning.

Flashing, sharp-edged synth leaps out as Indigo’s airy, expressive vocals carry above solid drums and undulating bass pulse. Now colossal drums burst as the medium-low synth wriggles out in thick lines and the vocal soar out into the chorus. The song charges on as low, full-sounding synth jumps out below Indigo’s voice before silence falls.

“All alone on a crimson highway” is where the narrator finds herself as she passes with “the sky beneath me now.” She speaks of falling away from the stars next to her and floating by herself “just be found.”

Our storyteller hopes that the other person might stay but watches as they drift away. She pleads “there’s no way that you can leave!” She’s with that person when she sleeps but I seems that “I’ll leave you in my dreams.”

Sailing, delicate synth slips out in lightly drifting waves as “Colder” opens. A guitar adds support to the sparkling, twirling synths and Indigo’s voice is enjoyably tender and warm. Electric guitar calls out in bright notes as the melody that expresses wistful caring.

Gleaming synth drifts out with light pouring from it. Quickly oscillating bass moves with strumming electric guitar to add more life. Indigo’s voice rises up in the chorus, echoing along with the glimmering high synths that add another glowing layer. Silence falls as the bass oscillation ripples and we fade on starry notes.

The storyteller points out that she’d sell her soul to hold the song’s subject “in a life that’s left unfolded” for a sound not spoken, in a world “that couldn’t own you.” She adds that “all these things” don’t make things last. They fade quickly as the room grows colder and “my head rests on your shoulder.” She recalls “the one thing I should have told her “but the doors were already closing.”

“Heat” comes to life as steadily pulsing notes add shape to the flickering synth that shines through. Crashing drums and a sweeping airy rush move along with a positive-sounding melodic pattern.

Guitar curls lush tendrils around Indigo’s gentle voice as it carries the dreaming melody. Indigo’s emotive vocals effectively capture the passion in the lyrics as the guitar carries a climbing melodic line. Sweeping wind passes and the drums shift, the bass throbs and Indigo’s voice flows before the track fades on twinkling light.

Our narrator talks about how, when everything the other person said “is lost among the waves,” she’s taking them for granted. She continues by saying that she understands things aren’t the same “when everything that’s there just falls away again.”

It makes her go further until she feels “you in my pain.” Now the storyteller asks the other person not to stop because everything she’s ever wanted was in “the heat of your touch.” She asks them not to stop their touch. She concludes “I fell for you before we even started.”

Conclusion

Indigo is a person who expresses herself deeply and effectively through the fusion of her emotive voice, well-crafted songs and interweaving synths that mingle to deep the emotions expressed within the vocals and lyrics.

Manhatten - Is This What You Wanted?

Album Art by Becky Oakley

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Manhatten's Is This What You Wanted? trembles with deep emotion as it tells a dramatic, pained tale through layered synth sounds, Mayah Camara’s powerful vocal performance and an atmosphere that hurts and hopes. This album further intensifies Manhatten’s unique approach to synth-based music.

All of the many synth sounds on Is This What You Wanted? imbue the music with a tender, pained and emotional quality. There are sparkling synths full of coruscating light, smoothly gliding synths like liquid chocolate and jazz organ-like sounds with a suffusing glow. Along with solid bass and clean drums, the overall effect captures the emotional tenor of the album’s concept.

Mayah Camara is one of the most soulful, expressive singers on the synth scene right now and her work on Is This What You Wanted? captures the feelings that permeate the album. Her mixture of emotion and vocal range deepens the melancholy atmosphere that radiates from the music. I feel that she was an excellent addition to the album.

The drama, intensity and sweeping feelings of the album’s atmosphere suit the thematic approach that Manhattan has taken to the music. All of the elements pour out high levels of feeling and capture me with the heightened passion that permeates every part of the album. I find the end result deeply engaging.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Is This What You Wanted?” comes to life as shimmering arpeggios twirl easily through softly sailing background sounds. Solid, actively moving bass pulses with rich depth underneath the rippling arpeggios. A wind sweeps through as steady kick drum and bursting snare move in.

Ethereal, open synth carries a serene melody above dancing arpeggios and guiding drums. Medium-high, flashing synth carries a melody beautifully mingling longing and tenderness while the bursting drums shape the track. Light arpeggios continue to intertwine above rebounding bass and lush sounds swelling in the background.

Gleaming chimes delicately float through the music. Drums add strength and bass keeps the track moving as the trailing chimes move with ease. Broad, shining synth trumpets out with wistful, caressing tendrils while hollow pipes glide and bass rebounds. The track ends with a shocking gunshot.

A smooth radio announcer on a late night call in show talks about “You Know Who” and what she’s abut to do to Mr X as “Tellin’ Lies” commences. Splashing snare drum hits hard along with solidly pulsating bass in a groovy beat.

Mayah Camara’s vocal is gliding and a little distorted as it comes in. The vocal melodypleasingly mingles energy, passion and pain as chimes sparkle around it and the drumbeat and dense bass propels the music. Mayah Camara’s voice has a broad range and strong expression as the hurting melody slips through.

Drums groove in, driving the music on, along with dynamic bass. Chimes shine out in fragile lines above Mayah Camara’s emotional singing. Now the chimes drift with twinkling ease above steadily pulsating drums and bass. The song ends with silky vocals flowing out.

“You've broken the foundation of this thing we tried to build” captures the narrator’s feelings about the broken relationship in the song. She says it’s like a house of cards and she is frustrated and unfulfilled, adding that "it's just not meant to be so hard.”

The storyteller tells the other person she’s in love with them and that there’s “no one above you. She has that person on her mind all the time.  Now she asks them not to lie to her because she needs them, loves to please them and won’t leave. She concludes, “I don't believe the things you're saying. Why do you lie to me?”

Her “patience for this show” is running thin and she tells the song’s subject that they’re wasting her time. She feels that “you've gone so low, I hardly know.” She points out that she’s not about to take the other person lying to her which is where they made their mistake. With disgust, she talks about the disgrace of how “you tried to erase the evidence of her in my place.”

Now the narrator is going to show the song’s subject the door because “I've taken as much as I can endure.” She wonders what this person takes her for and ends the song by asking “How could you look me in the eye, and feed me with these lies?”

“Suzi (Been Dreamin’ Of Your Lovin’ Lately)” starts off as tender, slowly growing synths slide in above a distinctively bouncing drumbeat and rich bass. Gliding and enfolding sounds shift above rebounding drums and pulsing bass. Now fragile, glittering chimes delicately trace through the music.

Crystalline synth sparkles broadly above reverberant bass and snapping percussion. Twinkling, starry synth flickers above deep drums and solidly underpinning bass.  I enjoy the way in with the elevated synth creates a tenuous and lightly touching feeling. Wide-sounding, intensely shining synth rises above bouncing drums in cascading lines.

High above the other sounds, a gentle glow gleams from raised synth as tranquility pervades the music.Clapping percussion adds shape below gossamer synth, shivering with soothing melancholy. The track ends on bell-like jazz organ and delicate chimes over lush bass.

A classic retrowave drumbeat comes from behind a door and as the door opens “A Lover & A Beauty Queen” begins. Punchy drums and a  bass oscillation underpin intermingling, medium high synth as it flies out. Rounded synth ripples in effortless arpeggios that create an excellent contrast with the wider synth's sharper edges.

Cutting, glittering synth dances above steadily moving drum and bass propulsion while tom hit drift by in the distance. Radiant lead synth is touched by warm strings that add a caressing feeling. Underneath it all, drums and bass guide the track as the flaring synths arc upward.

Quickly undulating, full-sounding synths trickle over bass drive and drum throb to touch the ears. The string section sings out with affection as glowing arpeggios whirl in the distance. Drums and bass end the track along with synth flares and trickling chimes.

“Answerphone” commences as an answering machine tape engages and mistily rolling synth breathes easily. Drums throb in easy going motion as distant, echoing synth softly carries a dreaming melody that’s full of longing.

Dense, serene synth chords add depth as they slide through the music. Open-voiced, rounded synth carries lightly brushing notes as gleaming jazz organ adds light. A subtle, pastel haze fills the background with a wonderfully calming feeling and a peaceful air.

Jazz organ with a clean brightness shifts above bass waves that add support. The voice message wanders and sweeping percussion adds more form to the ethereal sense of peace that permeates the track. Whistling synth creates an airy feeling, above the background’s pink clouds.

Distantly pulsing flowing synth moves before the sound of a rumbling engine opens “Drive Angry.” An easily moving drumbeat supports luscious, full-bodied jazz organ carrying cosmically drifting chords over undulating bass. Bursting drums give guidance above the oscillating bass pulse as the relaxing, easy-going melody flickers with a mournful element.

Bell-like jazz organ sound sails elegantly through the music with a soft glow. After a drum fill, there’s the sound of an old phone while choral voices echo. A deep voice is cut by a guitar crying out with an emotive melody, full of yearning and deeply felt ache. The track ends on unctuous organ and gentle choral sounds.

“Run Away (With You)” effectively washes my tension away as warmly chiming synth chords drift in. Mayah Camara’s strong but tender voice carries the expressive lyrics as shimmering chimes ring above the jazz organ. Pulsating bass shapes the music while the synth glows hazy lavender light. Raised notes sparkle as wide-sounding drums touch the song.

Jazz organ plays full and caressing chords while Mayah Camara emotes in her inimitable style.  Dense bass rebounds while chimes flit through the music. Mayah Camara has the ability to capture a wide variety of feelings in her touching voice. Percussion breaks through and ethereal high notes dance above the bass before the song ends.

Our storyteller talks about how the other person makes her want to "run away with you, stray with you, play with you and do the things that are wrong.” She adds that she wants to “turn up the heat with you” when they’re alone.

She recalls lazy warm days with the other person, saying that they are on her mind but “it's not right coz I'm with someone else.” Our narrator wants to be in another place with the object of her affection.

“You found a way under my skin” is what the storyteller says to the song’s subject, telling that person they made it past her defences so she “just went with the flow.” Now she feels that she should have said no since “now I wanna go to be with you.”

She has “caught feelings for you” and wishes she hadn’t fallen for that person. Her mind runs over with thoughts of them because “you make me wanna do the things that I shouldn't do, but it feels so good.”

Slowly spinning, metal-edged arpeggios whirl as sirens cry in the distance to kick off “Blues and Twos.” The arpeggios wind out and growing bass rumbles far away as very high, trembling synth carries a roaming melody full of hurt.

Dense waves of bright, broad synth wash behind it and solid bass rumbles as bells ring out. Rough-edged, medium-low synth slips in pained motion. I am drawn to the way in which the caressing arpeggios keep intertwining as the gruff sounds below mingle into a long flowing motion. Tentative, feathery synth cries out in the far distance and the sirens fade into quiet.

Conclusion

Is This What You Wanted? is full of intensity of emotion and rich tapestries of synth sound, mingled with impassioned singing and songwriting from Mayah Camara. The end result is a journey through an expressive tale of love and loss.