Fraver - The Unknown Awaits Us

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Fraver’s The Unknown Awaits Us unfolds in an image rich synth tapestry that carries the listener on a journey across deep space, facing danger and darkness. The intensity is leavened by beautiful, delicate moments as Fraver weaves all the synth sounds into a richly layered whole.

Journeying through soundscapes on The Unknown Awaits Us is one of my favourite parts of the listening experience. Fraver seamlessly combines his synth palette to draw me into the shifting emotional terrain of the music while painting cosmic vistas through intertwining sound. As a result, I can close my eyes and simply allow myself to travel through the album.

Each synth sound on The Unknown Awaits Us functions within a layered sonic ecosystem. I feel that Fraver spent some time crafting each track to make the best use of his sonic choices. As the album unfolds, these interwoven sounds all come together to create music with powerful expression, creating sensations of triumph and danger. Each texture and timbre deepens the overall emotional tenor of the album.

I was especially galvanized by the more ethereal, fragile tracks on the album. Fraver manages to fill me with tranquility in those moments. I enjoy the way in which he provides a space to rest and breathe in between the more powerful and dramatic moments in the music.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Spacewalk” comes to life as a creaking, shadowy sound shifts and rapidly battering drums rush in. Angular notes climb, ramping up the track’s energy as dramatically twisting synth effectively creates growing urgency above pulsating drums. A guitar calls out in a drifting, majestically roaming pattern above bursting snare drum and slicing bass line.

The guitar adds a roving sensation before gliding out along with a delicately slipping synth pattern. Trumpeting synth echoes out in an energetic twirl as a kick drum pounds and lacerating bass shifts with agitation. Soaring synth with a brassy quality contrasts with undulating, razor-sharp bass and melancholy-tinged guitar. Flickering higher notes flit past and the track fades out.

Slowly pulsating bass shifts below cosmically sliding higher synth to open “Eternal Orion.” Snare drum bursts in above gargantuan, deadly sounding bass. Noble, slowly unfolding medium-high synth glows as it carries a melody mingling tragedy and power above guiding percussion and colossal bass.

Snarling weight moves underneath a fragile, ethereally gliding background while wide-sounding synth sings a melody that gives me a powerful impression of galactic vistas opening out around me.

A snare drum ticks along steadily and percussion trembles above the enormous bass. Gritty synth chords thunder out to add even more muscle and tragedy-tinged emotion. The low end shapes the music and the track ends with galactic drift and radiant glow.

“Master” starts as vast bass growls below shining synth with a reverent quality. Threatening bass snarls in waves as fragile synth swirls out in contrast to the seething darkness. There’s ominous power in the bass as it throbs along with heavy drums hitting hard while cutting, medium high synth shifts.

A synth string section carries a melody exuding tragic emotion and loss above the looming bass far below. Tense, nervous minor key notes wander as the battering drums push on. This track creates a pleasing terror in me. I feel like I need glance over my shoulder as minor key notes twitch through the track while bass reaches out grasping tendrils.

Elevated, worried synth adds a terrified feeling as the tension racks up further. Drums rebound and bass dominates the music. Taut synth cries out in fear above the mass below it, a crushing thing exuding dread as disembodied sounds drift. Lacerating notes add grit while higher synth slips worshipfully in contrast to the horror all around it. The track ends as intense light radiates from elevated notes.

Bursting snare drum echoes into space as steadily oscillating, sharp-edged bass pulses and the drums form a guiding beat to commence “Hyperspeed.” Roundly glowing synth carries a melody mingling wistful emotion with something heavier above thudding snare drum and pounding kick drum.

The main melody skillfully conveys loss and dynamism. Bass oscillation and thumping drums are joined by a grinding guitar slicing in gruff motion while the glistening lead synth sings more gently. The guitar adds a ferocious feeling, tearing into the track as it comes in.

There's a break to unevenly pulsing, buzzing synth. Soft-edged synth tinges the music with diffused light while the trembling bass cuts harshly. The guitar has jagged edges carrying angry energy while tendrils of brighter synth twine around it. Tom hits rapidly pulsate and the hard-edged bass falls silent.

“Singularity” starts as mysterious-sounding synth slips while sharp-edged, elevated notes climb. Looming bass creates vast weight as hard-hitting drums punch. Intensely glowing synth carries a minor key melody mingling threat and melancholy in an intriguing fashion.

Broadly glistening lead synth carries the pained, ominous melody as distant sounds shift. Drums thunder, heaving bass rumbles and flashing synth adds a victorious quality to the main melody’s ache.

Powerfully bright synth carries the mournful and dangerous sounding melody above the low end’s great mass and lurking shadowy sensations. Bass drives on and the drumbeat pounds before the track fades out.

Diaphanous synth slides past, permeating the music with a reverent feeling as clear sounds cut through to open “The Unknown Awaits Us.” Absolutely towering bass forms a slightly gritty underpinning to the elevated synths that flicker above it.

Bass begins to pulse powerfully as flaring synth carries a gently rising melody, tinged with ache but still reaching forward. Delicate chiming notes shine as the bass falls away. The track drifts through a tenderly swirling, calming segment that radiates peace as it slowly moves.

I feel relaxation fill me as the softness again is guided by powerfully throbbing synth as drums rush onward and the colossal bass well swells up below. There’s motion and acceleration as mingled pain and yearning fill the main melody while the bass grows and fills the low end as the drums drive onward.

“Starfall” begins as a hollow sound echoes into vast space. Static flows and warming synth chords grow beneath elevated sounds drifting by. Steadily guiding drums throb to add support while sharply slicing sounds descend. Full synth chords rise above the cutting sounds before bass oscillates.

Lost, open-sounding synth wanders as it effectively fills me with empty feelings. The drums accelerate along with rushing bass as hammering, metallic sounds reverberate. Drums charge forward as pipe organ like chords gleam before the bass oscillates along with a hammering sound and the track ends.

Coruscating synth rapidly roams as a kick drum thuds and a big snare drum presses on to bring “Space Gate Keeper” to life. A bass wall thunders through static hiss before the majestic main melody soars. I enjoy the way in which the main melody fills me me with a feeling of nobility and ancient pride as crushing drums and towering bass power on.

Quickly wandering synth flows before the melody rises again, exuding timelessly reverent emotion. Elevated synth tumbles before the track moves into slowly shifting, supportive chords that flow widely above rushing bass oscillation.

The snare and kick drums press onward as gritty background static in the fills the track. Orchestral string sounds come in, enhancing the gravitas and strength of the main melody. Vibrating synth cascades as gigantic sounds tower and the low end pushes forward before silence falls.

Conclusion

The Unknown Awaits Us exudes a compelling sense of adventuring through starry vaults as it moves along. Fraver takes me and guides me through the auditory world that he has created with confidence. I enjoy every step of the journey as it carries me away.

Walmind - Walls Of Time

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Walmind’s Walls Of Time exudes airy tranquility and wistful emotion as it travels through lushly woven synthscapes. First-rate vocal performances add to the album’s emotional depths and the whole atmosphere has a tropical sensation filling it with warmth. I enjoy the relaxing, slightly melancholy sensation that unfolds through the music.

Both Walmind and Ligia bring their expressive and touching voices to bear on Walls of Time. They each have distinctive qualities to their vocal performances that lend more depth to the music. I also find the way in which they capture the lyrics to be affecting and touching. The end result are songs that may be short, but make a strong connection with my heart.

A mixture of well-chosen synth sounds and sensitive composition creates an atmosphere on Walls Of Time that bathes me in aquamarine peace and tropical warmth. Walmind has chosen synths that radiate relaxation and calm, occasionally contrasted with a sharper sound to balance the music out. I find myself drifting into a misty environment as the synth washes over me easily.

For me, this album has a summery essence to it that I find hard to resist. I enjoy the way that all of the musical elements combine to produce music for soothing afternoons in the warm sun. There’s a cohesion to this album that makes it easy to listen to more than once.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Walls Of Time” starts off as a plush synth provides a cushioning cradle for medium-high notes flaring gently out as sharper sounds cut through for contrast. Slowly throbbing synth moves in a wide swathe, guided by a steadily moving snare drum.

Broad synth forms a breezy pattern above bursting snare drum and interlocking notes as a gritty sound slices through. Alien flute-like synth carries a fragile melody with a wonderfully soothing feeling over the widely pulsating drumbeat. Medium-low synth repeats a clear pattern as gruff sound cuts in.

A whale song sound cries out before tautly pulsing synth forms a pattern. Breathy, twisting synth adds a floating quality above widely scattered snare drum and thick bass. Nasal-sounding, lambent notes flash out and silence falls.

A richly entangled synth wash wraps me in a comforting cocoon as cleanly rippling arpeggios spin easily to open “Heart”. The drumbeat flits out to smoothly shape the music. Walmind’s voice is tender and exudes heartfelt emotion as he calls out into the song.

Lightly pulsing drums shape to the music under the background’s aquatic, rippling sensation. Medium-high, sharp-edged synth sings a melody that reaches out with yearning fingers as gruff bass swells.

Drums tap with laid back ease under Walmind’s touching vocals. Gleaming lead synth carries a melody mingling melancholy leavened by hope. The drumbeat adds motion as bass wells up to create support below it. The song slides to an end on a soft synth flow.

The narrator speaks of walking down the streets and seeing the other person watching him. He says “I’ve nothing to fear” even if it seems he wouldn’t go to them. The song’s subject has “bet your heart to stay with me” in spite of his fear for many years.

“Brazilian Synthwave” begins as an astral soundscape with flowing wind moves above billowing bass as Brazilian percussion comes in. Tautly nasal-sounding synth pulses in short bursts as percussion adds a tropical flavour.

Medium-high, bending synth creates a charming sensation of humid breezes and palm trees. In the background, synth whorls intertwine in a calming motion as steadily bursting drums add shape. Distant, softly touching synth wriggles past as nasally pulsing notes drift.

The main melody curls comfortably, giving off easy going sensations as the Brazilian percussion adds a unique flavour. A smoothly gliding segment carries the wistfully aching melody and before the drumbeat jumps in. Tropically flavoured percussion taps above the lush low end. Wind sweeps above bass clouds that guide the track to an end.

Slowly enfolding synth bubbles up as elevated notes ring out above it, gently swaying, to open “It’s More than Just A Dream.” Ligia has a tender expression in her voice as broadly pulsing snare drum adds shape above oscillating bass motion.

Rounded, medium high synth carries a melody that fills me with affectionate sensations as it reverberates with digital sound. The vocals capture deep need and wistful yearning in the lyrics as the drumbeat pulsates and trickling, smooth synth ripples out.

The main melody slips by again, lightly touching and aching with intense need before delicately gliding notes tremble. Ligia’s voice is tranquil as sparkling synth carries the floating melody, like a loving caress, out into silence on rippling arpeggios.

The storyteller says that she wanted the song’s subject to want her as well for “all the time I was loving you.” She points out that she’s only telling the truth and it is more than a nightly dream. She asks the other person if they see the stars and the light because “I give you everything I feel inside.”

“No Matter How Far” starts as washing synth forms a languid flow as it flashes past in slow, broad sparkles. Snare drum splashes in again as Ligia’s voice brims over beautifully with loving passion as sharp edged synth flares out in sunlit waves.

Tightly wound, elevated synth carries a melody mixing passion, hope and dreamy emotion as the towering drums leap in to add shape. The vocals rise, capturing the feeling in the lyrics above throbbing drums and bass. Clean, trembling synth vibrates and the melody sings in again, rising on a luminous cloud as the low end guides the music.

Rapidly dancing notes glimmer and echo into open space as the track slips on, Ligia’s singing adds emotional strength as the luminous main melody shines through with hurting, hopeful emotion. Sharp edged notes flash before silence falls.

Our narrator says that she’s waiting through the night, every day of her life to be the other person’s “bright moon.” The other person wants her back but it’s tough when “day and night don’t match.” The storyteller realizes that no matter how far apart they are, she is on the other person’s mind. In the midst of her sorrow she knows that “I gave you all the love.”

Reverberating, cascading synth flashes out into openness along with rumbling, full bass to open “Echoes Of My Mind.” Smoothly guiding percussion joins a sharp-edged bass pulsation as radiant synth trembles above the steady drumbeat and luscious bass.

Peaceful contemplation pervades the track in a deeply pleasing fashion. The background synth is silky smooth and the percussion skips along with a laid back sensation.

Bass with an unctuous sonic profile keeps moving far below, adding weight. Air slips through as synth waves lap up against the track’s low end and the drumbeat adds form. I find myself sailing away, carried above a calm soundscape and out into space.

“Astronomy” commences as fragile chimes echo underneath shimmering synth drifting through in twinkling motion. Dense bass wells up and open-sounding drums tick to create rhythm.

Nasal-sounding, medium-high synth slides with a slowly tumbling motion through the track, adding meditative tranquility in an ear-pleasing fashion. Now sharply glistening synth adds lustre to the track while luscious bass moves. The lead synth’s soft-edged, delicate sound rolls through the track.

Chimes add settling feelings to the music while a dense bass cloud expands below. I find myself sinking into the enfolding tenderness of this track, out among galaxies as flickering notes trip through and silence falls.

Broadly spinning arpeggios sweep in as clear, cutting synth leaps in rapid motion to kick off “Ego Block.” Massive bass actively shifts as huge drums pound solidly. Lissome, glowing synth washes through in extended notes as throbbing drums add strength and motion.

Bass pulsates in moving lines as radiant synth frolics in an energetic movement while the drumbeat presses on. Taut synth quickly shivers and the track’s low end adds dynamism.

I enjoy the mixture of floating sounds with more activity to contrast with them. Flashing synth adds a clear light as it trickles through above growling bass and muscled drums. The track ends on luminosity and gruff synth whorls.

Conclusion

Walls Of Time is an album drenched in the feelings of gentle breezes breathing tropical moisture against my skin, languorous days spent relaxing and a hint of something wistful and melancholy to leaven the more soothing feelings in the music.

My Favourite 2023 Albums…So Far

Introduction

As we hit the halfway mark of 2023, I decided to round up all of the albums that have grabbed my attention and really tickled my ears thus far this year. All of the artists I’ve reviewed have produced superb music so far in 2023, but these are the albums that most stood out for me.

One of the things that has just blown me away this year has been the stratospheric height of the musical bar that has been set. The #synthfam is truly excelling at the top end of the genre! The vast majority of the albums I have reviewed are of uniformly high quality. My choices for this list have to do with the way the albums made me feel, rather than anything else. Synth music is continuing to grow in quality as time passes.

Each album on this list was chosen for the emotional or musical impact it made on me. The artists involved, both the originators and guest contributors, all created music that drew me in. Sometimes it was the way an album tugged at my heart and at others, it was the complexity and depth of the music that pulled me deeply into the listening experience. Either way, these albums represent music that was deeply engaging for me.

I also want to add that the #synthfam continues to be an enormous inspiration for me. I enjoy every minute of reviewing all of the tremendous music being brought into existence by your fertile imaginations and compositional, vocal and instrumental abilities. Thank you all for your hard work, passion and dedication to your craft. It is a privilege to share this community with all of you!

My Favourite Albums Thus Far

Jessy Mach - Night Shifter

I found Night Shifter to be a heady concoction of ‘80s-inflected synth energy, first-rate vocal performances and Jessy Mach’s pleasing guitar chops. There was a lively dynamism to the album that carried with it an emotional quality and intermingling synth sounds. It created an entertaining listening experience for me.

The fusion of retro nostalgia and modern, pin-sharp production on Night Shifter was another attractive quality in Jessy Mach’s music. His balance between high quality sound and classic synthesizers allowed the unique auditory qualities of those instruments to shine.

All of the guest performers on Night Shifter came in for praise from me. I found the excellent vocal work added more depth and emotive strength to the album as it unfolded. Each singer brought their own individual characters to bear which added to the engaging nature of the music.

I was also enamoured of the intensity and finger-bending agility of Jessy Mach’s guitar playing. The skillful use of his guitar abilities helped strengthen the overall listening pleasure in the music. I also enjoyed the way in which the guitar playing enriched the feelings pouring from the album.

Andrew LeSynt - The Lost City

The Lost City attracted me with the intertwining synth layering that painted intriguing soundscapes and immersed me within their sonic storytelling. The music has a living, breathing quality to it as it unfolds. I found myself wanting to listen to it again to extract more musical detail from each track.

I was fascinated by the way in which all of the sonic layers interacted with one another on The Lost City to create complex sonic worlds. I felt that all of the individual synth sounds worked well together to form a nuanced and varied whole. Into that mix, I also enjoyed the guitar sounds that Andrew LeSynt wove into the mix to add more ear-pleasing sound.

The Lost City’s allure for me was further increased by the elevated quality of Andrew LeSynt’s melodic writing. I enjoyed the way in which his melodies were able to capture powerful emotions and transfer them to my ears. Each of the melodies weaves together to create more feeling in the whole album as they mesh together.

The clear, clean quality of Andrew LeSynt’s production was another decisive factor in my listening pleasure. There’s a precision and detail to the sound that make each track stand out. I was drawn to the way in which the auditory quality allowed every element within the music to find clear expression.

Turbo Hamster - Obluda

I felt myself attracted to Obluda because of the complexity and darkness that it combined into one emotive, melodic whole with a lurking sense of threat hanging over each track. Turbo Hamster took me on a journey across shadowy terrain with melodic beauty and seething danger with this album.

One of the reasons why I was so drawn to Obluda is the balance and contrast between different sonic elements. The way in which lacerating synth moves below tenderly caressing notes and dominating bass provides support for propulsive drums creates an ear-pleasing electronic orchestra. The end result is engaging audio storytelling.

I also took pleasure in the complexity of the melodic writing on Obluda. Each melody travels through varying moods and emotions as it unfolds. I was enamoured of the way that Turbo Hamster’s melodies could move from tenuous delicacy to ominous danger within each track. I always enjoyed him taking me on a journey.

Musical imagery was a strong point for Turbo Hamster on this album. He carried me through tales of perilous darkness and melancholy. He transported me over black voids and jagged mountain ranges. I felt myself imbibing all of the different mental states through which the album traveled with ease.

Dudikoff - Bright Lights, Big City

Dynamic motion, retro ear candy and melodic pleasure came together to pull me into Bright Lights, Big City. I became addicted to the way in which drum and bass muscle mixed with layered, luxuriant synth sounds and the aforementioned melodic joy. I concluded that this was an entertaining slice of neon glow and energy.

I felt that the biggest attraction on Bright Lights, Big City was Dudikoff’s ability to write catchy, engaging melodies. I enjoyed the deep emotional connection that his melodies made with me, finding that they touched my heart and drew me into their beauty. I added that they had a great deal of repeat listening value for me.

Gigantic, full-fat drums and bass were another standout feature of Bright Lights, Big City for me. I took pleasure from their chest-pounding power, shaping effect and forceful motion that accelerated the music forward and gave it a potent punch. The percussive elements helped tie everything together well here.

I was impressed by Dudikoff’s skillfully layered instrumental sounds on the album. He had the ability to wrap different layers of tone, timbre and sonic texture together in a deliciously pleasing way. The imagery of oily puddles on broken asphalt, flickering neon and city lights was strongly conveyed in his music.

jacket - Vol. II: Void

Combining stratospheric production quality, intricately interlocking synth sounds, well-written lyrics and talented musical guests is what got jacket’s Vol. II: Void onto this list of my favourite albums of 2023 so far. I was impressed by the tremendous soundscapes that were woven by jacket on this album.

I ran out of superlatives to praise Vol II: Void’s production quality. I found the detailed, nuanced and razor sharp sound that he created on the album only increased the strength of the other musical elements. The clarity of the music added depth to the emotional expression that jacket brought to the album.

The way in which the songwriting on Vol. II: Void was able to freeze moments of human experience was engaging for me. I enjoyed the way in which each vocalist featured on the album was able to interpret those lyrics in a way that complemented the overall mood of the album.

A synth palette that simply erupted with a plethora of different sonic elements was another reason that Vol. II: Void found a way onto this list. I found the way in which each carefully selected sound was woven into a luscious tapestry to be mesmerizing. The synth mix brought a great deal of depth to the album.

This album was also a tribute to the talent with which the #synthfam is blessed. I was happy to hear so many members of the community bringing their unique musical vision to the party. It made the end result truly memorable.

Hill Valley Hero - Arcades

For me, the way in which Hill Valley Hero’s Arcades caught me up in its expression of youthful energy, nostalgic yearning for past joy and lingering hope made one of my favourite albums thus far in 2023. I was pleased by his ability to take classic synthwave building blocks and use them to create expressive, emotional music with them. I was surprised by how much I was touched by this album.

The album brims with superb musical moments, but the most compelling aspect of Arcades for me is the way it tugged at my heart. I found that it evoked feelings of exuberant energy and pleasant memories along with a mournful ache for times past that can never return. Hill Valley Hero reached me at a deep level that kept me fully engaged with his music.

Emotional strength poured from the melodies that Hill Valley Hero wrote for the album. His melodic writing was a crucial part of the appeal of Arcades for me because it allowed him to drive home the feelings he created. I was drawn in by his knack of writing melodies that radiated mingled emotion as they evolved.

Rich, intensely layered soundscapes played a role in my attraction to this album. I took pleasure in the way that Hill Valley Hero wove together passionate sax, textural electric guitar and a wide range of synth sounds to produce expressive, affecting music. There was a feast of fascinating tones and timbres that all worked well together here.

Oceanside85 - Love Warrior

Oceanside85’s superb voice, the emotional weight of the song lyrics and the excellent line up of guest artists is what attracted me to Oceanside85’s Love Warrior in such a powerful manner. I also felt a strong pull from the way in which the music explores the complexities inherent in human relationships on the album.

Oceanside85’s potent vocal performance was an enormous drawing card for me on Love Warrior. Her voice is a finely tuned instrument that can snarl, soar and delicately caress as needed and she put it to full use on the album. I was also enamoured of the way in which she captured the passion, pain and need expressed within the lyrics in her voice.

I was also pleased by the way in which all of the guest producers on Love Warrior employed their considerable talents to create a rich, cohesive whole. Each producer managed to skillfully integrate their own unique sound into a smoothly flowing album. They showcased their talents while still working together to produce a seamless end result.

A more ephemeral, but still engaging aspect that drew me into the album was the depth of human feeling that filled it. Oceanside85 showed a vulnerability and openness in the way that she explored the emotional heart of the music on the album. I found it pulled me deeper into the listening experience.

DASHCAM - Sundown On Volcano Beach

Neon glow, heartbreaking melancholy and unctuous synth layering were the elements that combined to pique my interest in Sundown On Volcano Beach. I enjoyed the way he and his musical guests combined their talents to create an album full of affecting emotion and musical beauty. I found myself listening to the album over and again to enjoy the journey.

All of the mixed emotions that permeated Sundown On Volcano Beach were another reason the album made this list. DASHCAM and his musical collaborators have infused each song with yearning, passion and a dreamy nostalgia. I was attracted by the atmosphere of pastel imagery and soft focus feeling that arose as the album revealed itself to me one song at at time.

Those musical collaborators I mentioned are another reason why I so enjoyed Sundown On Volcano Beach. They combined their own fascinating and enjoyable sounds together in a way that heightened and deepened the overall feeling of the album. I enjoyed how they all put a fresh spin on the overall theme of the album while keeping a cohesive feeling intact.

I also took pleasure in the way DASHCAM brought together his well thought out synth palette with the emotional core of the album. He took the variety of tones, timbres and sonic colours available to him and masterfully mingled them to paint musical layers. As a whole, they drove home the atmosphere and expression that filled each song.

Cat Temper - Furio

The sheer depth and complexity of the synth tapestry on Furio is what gave the album such an intense appeal to me. His synth palette, the way in which he chose to deploy the sounds and his well-cxonsutrcted melodies all came together to pull me into the music. I enjoyed the chance to listen to the music several times and found new and interesting aspects to enjoy within it.

Another major factor that made Furio such an entertaining listening experience for me was the fluid movement of moods within Cat Temper’s melodies. There was a range of emotional expression within each melody that could be complementary or conflicting, but never failed to hold my interest. I was happy to have my mind so engaged by the listening experience.

Intensively layered synth sounds that formed intricate synthscapes were a hallmark of Furio. I found the way in which Cat Temper blended raging, caressing, threatening and soothing sounds quite captivating. He created a complete package that told tales in tones and musical colours that wove imagery all around me.

I was also drawn to the low end elements of this album because of their sheer variety of percussion sounds and the enormity and weigh of the bass. When these different elements combined, the end result were intoxicating beats that shaped and directed the music as it unfolded.

The Pyramid - Behind The Lights

Behind The Lights made its way onto this list because of the absolutely inspiring nature of the melodies that The Pyramid wrote for it. In concert with the artist’s ability to paint detailed sonic imagery and his well-chosen synth sounds, this album made a deep impression on me as it unfolded. I was touched and moved as I listened.

Melodic beauty suffuses Behind The Lights from beginning to end. I was bowled over by the uplifting, inspiring and heartwarming melodies that filled the tracks. There was a sweeping sense of joy in some of them and tender melancholy in others, but all were infused with a nostalgic feeling that leaves a pleasant ache behind it. I was never less than filled with uplifting emotion, leavened by a gentle yearning.

Each track on Behind The Lights drew potent images in my mind’s eye. The Pyramid’s effective use of engaging melodies, ear-pleasing harmony and a richly detailed synth palette resulted in music that carried me across landscapes mingling emotion, sensation and musical pleasure. I felt myself visualizing a plethora of different images as each segment of the tracks revealed themselves to me. The images are another crucial element that led me to add the album to this list.

The way in which The Pyramid integrated his synth palette on the album was another reason for my listening pleasure. He had a way of combining the varied sounds to create detailed, emotive music, using the evocative tonal and timbral qualities of different synths. As the album unfolded, I was pulled further into its world.

Toxxic Project - The Secrets of Planet Helios

The way in which The Secrets of Planet Helios lifted me up and transported me to the spectral beauty of a remote world was a primary motivator for including the album on this list. Toxxic Project was able to fill my mind with intense sonic imagery, painted with richly interlocking synth sounds. I also felt attracted to the music by the fine guest artists who were featured on the album.

I am a sucker for musical storytelling and The Secrets of Planet Helios does a bang-up job in that department. Layers of lush synths intermingled to create clear images in my mind’s eye. The way in which tonal, timbral and textural elements were combined carried me above sweeping, majestic landscapes and over an eldritch planet’s landscape.

Melodies are often what makes music pleasing to me and Toxxic Project wrote some superb ones for the album. They had a touching emotional core within them that served The Secrets of Planet Helios well. Not only did the album take me on an image-rich journey but it also took me on an emotional one through the complex melodic shifts expressed in each melody.

All of the album’s musical guests brought their talents to the overall sound to lend depth and breadth. Each guest contributed to increasing the auditory impact of the music on this album. I also had to mention Sinuhe Navarrete’s mixing and mastering because it, too, added more strength to the overall sound.

Bunny X - Love Minus 80

An intricately interlaced synth journey unfolded as I listened to Love Minus 80 as Bunny X explored their love of science fiction through their music. I was pulled into the auditory world that they created by the emotive vocal performances, finely crafted songs and guest artists who deepened the music. I felt the music take me over and carry me away across the stars.

Hugely talented guest artists were another reason for my appreciation of Love Minus 80. Each guest performer brought an individual style and talent to bear on the album. They helped add to the emotional impact of the music without breaking the flow. Their own talents helped augment the high level performances of Bunny X themselves.

Elevated production values made Love Minus 80 an ear-pleasing listening experience for me. Bunny X along with their co-producer Gosteffects created a crystal clear sound that still managed to capture all the retrosynth vibes that poured from the album. I was also happy with the way in which the synth palette’s intricate and detailed nature shone through in the production quality of the music.

The sci-fi inspired nature of the album gave it more depth and meaning in my view. I enjoyed the way in which Bunny X used the tales as creative catalysts for writing fresh and interesting music on the album. The songs captured the essence of the original stories while adding a new dimension to them.

Coastal - Heartbeats

Moving, emotional depth was the reason why I felt so pulled in by Heartbeats as the album revealed itself to me. Melodic expression, gorgeous synth tones and Aaron Hetherington’s heightened vocal talents came together with the finely honed songwriting to pierce my heat with emotion, I found this album difficult to put down as a listener.

Melodies that wove golden sonic threads into a complex fabric of mingled emotion were another reason for my attraction to Heartbeats. Aaron Hetherington and Jonathan Fletcher brought their talents together to create heartfelt, eloquent music and lyrics on the album. They managed to capture human feeling within a musical prism and reflect it back to the listener.

I also found the embarrassment of sonic riches provided by the album’s synth palette to be compelling. So many different synth sounds were skillfully woven together to created nuanced and heart-touching music. I was also drawn to the reedy sax warmth and dynamic electric guitar that were used on the album.

OCCAMS LASER – The Grid Collection

Review by Mike Templar

British dark synth and synthwave producer Tom Stuart, also known as Occams Laser, has a remarkable collection of work to his name, with a career that stretches back to 2014. Occams Laser's sound is a mix of retro synthesizers and 80s horror soundtracks, with the added influence of cyberpunk and modern electronic music.

I'd like to introduce you to his outstanding body of work, which I call The Grid Collection consisting of three albums that follow a thoughtful musical storyline influenced by the 1982 TRON movie.

The Grid (2016) - 17 Tracks

The Grid. A place where data and information is represented as a simulated reality. Each user has their own program and due to the users creating these programs they regard their users with deific status.

Under the influence of a new power-hungry artificial intelligence, the programs are being coerced into losing faith in the users. It would take a new type of program to alter this balance of power and re-take the grid for the good of the programs and their users. With the aid of a mysterious entity claiming to be a user who has been put into the system, perhaps there is hope.

All will be settled on….The Grid.

Return to the Grid (2020) - 24 Tracks

In 1989 the creator of The Grid disappears. Haunted by this mystery we are drawn to a familiar place, The Arcade. Soon we are pulled into a digital world, one which has become more advanced than we could have ever imagined. This cyber frontier is filled with unknown dangers that must be fought to survive. With corrupted creations and unique beings born inside this digital world; it is hard to decipher friend from foe.  It seems we will need every scrap of help to traverse this cyber universe, find the creator of The Grid and escape alive.

“This album acts as a direct continuation to my album The Grid from 2016, however it also acts as a spiritual replacement soundtrack to TRON Legacy. In my head this is what I would have done with the soundtrack to the second film in the Tron series. Taking inspiration from elements and instruments used in the original TRON (1982) score but with a few modern techniques, styles, effects and my own spin on implementation,” Tom shares.

The Grid Lives (2023) - 19 Tracks

ENCOM has recovered data from what remains of Kevin Flynn’s reformatted data disc.

Using an older backup of the ENCOM mainframe computer system a new amalgamation has been formed. This creation is under the supervision of Edward Dillinger Jr.

However; buried deep in the backup code is something long forgotten. A program that left unchecked could repeat the mistakes of the past. Pursuit of the perfect system has always been a curse. It is not always certain what we remove from the equation to achieve such perfection. One thing is for certain…

The Grid Lives!

When you listen to The Grid Collection, you quickly realize that these soundtracks are not simply some sort of copies of the existing TRON soundtracks, but these sounds have a character all their own, just like the self-designed short stories to the albums as well.

Occams Laser created his own vision of an alternative TRON soundtrack, telling different parallel stories. His cinematic synthscape soundtracks shine with ingenuity and create a mood as if you were directly participating in the action of the stories. I really like the fact that he maintains a retro style with the analog synthsizer sounds that are more reminiscent of John Carpenter and the Blade Runner soundtrack than, for example, the modernized cyberpunk style of Daft Punk. Listening to these albums becomes a real pleasure.

The span of all tracks range from spherical-etheric songs to danceable cyberpunk tracks. With all 3 albums you get more than enough for the little money that is offered to you for 60 tracks! All albums come with attractive album artwork and additional material; The Grid Lives includes an alternate TRON short story.

I asked Tom what his motivation was to write his own mini-screenplay for the third part of his trilogy: “I love both current TRON films, and to me I just wanted to create my own 3rd part of that world before the possibility of it being ruined with TRON: Ares which is due to come out possibly next year!“

Check out Tom's outstanding artwork!

For more Occams Laser, visit occamslaser.bandcamp.com/music.