Manhatten - Descent

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Manhatten’s Descent is a journey through the depths of space, full of intense power and intricately intertwining synth sounds. The atmosphere, melodies, and overall feel of the album draw me into the shadowy, sharp-headed world created by Manhattan. I enjoy the complexity and depth on display as the music unfolds.

One of the more compelling elements of Descent is the atmosphere that Manhatten creates on the album. There is threatening, ominous darkness broken by moments of brighter, more energetic feelings that provide interesting contrast. Overall, however, there is a desolation and danger that pervades the music in a way that pulls me in.

I also enjoy the melodic writing on Descent. There's a good mixture of melancholy, motion, and expression scattered throughout the different tracks. I appreciate the way Manhatten uses his synth palette to emphasize the melodies and imbue them with more feeling as the music evolves.

The way in which all of the different musical elements work together creates both complexity and cohesion. I enjoy how I can delve into the many layers on Descent while still feeling that the journey on which I am being taken is the same one throughout the album. I am enamored of Manhatten's approach to creation and sound design.

I also want to mention Nikoletta Winters’ (Lacrimorta) and Alpha Chrome Yayo’s contributions to the album. Nikoletta Winters’ powerful vocal performance and lyrical writing deepen and strengthen the title track “Descent.” Alpha Chrome Yayo brings his own unique musical voice to “World Without Sound,” which further adds richness to the album.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Descent” begins with huge piano chords, and Nikoletta Winters’ voice which is full of pained darkness as the round-sounding, pulsing notes move along with massive piano chords. The drums and bass throb while Nikoletta Winters’ voice wanders through shadowy depths as the music circles. Rapidly spinning, arpeggiating notes move along with the Nikoletta Winters’ aching vocal performance.

Arpeggios whirl with brilliant light as the vocals tremble and ache with emotive strength. The drums flourish, and tranquil, floating notes tumble through the background before the drums pound again. Nikoletta Winters captures the lyrics’ dark complexity as full sounding-notes pulse in an energizing motion and the low end shapes the music.

Angular sounds flare as the gleaming arpeggios entangle and fall through the music, while the thudding drums drive the track forward. The vocals slide through the music with a gentle threat as the intertwining notes fade to silence.

The storyteller talks about what happens when the world falls and "the rain turns to ash," as the song's subject's smile "turns to pain." She speaks of what happens when the other person's love is distant and "the last note is played."

Our narrator says she'll send them all straight back to hell as they dance to "romantic songs of lust and lost innocence," as she asks the song’s subject not to try to hide the hurt they feel inside.

The storyteller asks the song's subject for one reason why their heart belongs to someone else, though she wishes it would be hers. She goes on to say that there should be no more talk as she asks the other person, "Do you remember the time?"

Our narrator assures the song's subject that they are safe and asks them to hang on to her, adding, "Let's get you out of here." She asks the other person to look down and see "above the falling neon sky." She tells the song's subject to stay close to her because "there's so much to fear of breaking through."

The storyteller says she's just as scared as the song's subject to take a chance that "romantic songs of love and lost innocence will take us back."

The sound of throbbing computers joins with a robotic voice as a rapidly slamming drum and bass pulse opens "Scanning for Life Forms." Sharp, cutting dances and active motion emerge as the gruffly bursting notes above create a dynamically moving synth melody. The drums and bass are solid as the juddering, powerfully leaping synth propels the music with conviction.

Electric sounds curl out through the music as the low end pulses heavily. Digital-sounding, broadly leaping notes intertwine with massive strength. Vocal messages cut through as the lacerating synth slices before wide-sounding, open-voiced notes quickly tumble together. The track drifts into a floating segment in which elevated sounds flicker and insectile notes shift.

The drums return as medium-high notes fall through the track with unfolding motion. The energizing, digital synth leaps through the music with motivating strength as round-sounding notes entangle and silence falls.

“Run” kicks off as flashing notes call out a warning as a dark voice says “run!” The low end throbs with propulsive weight and drives the track forward as the flaring notes leap up words. A hollow, repeating sound undulates with tension and a haunting feeling as a melody unfurls on an echoing, medium-high synth.

The melody is gentle and traces through the music with a light touch, softly glowing despite the crushing weight of the drums and bass snarling below. Swirling, radiant notes leap out and twist through the track with dynamic speed. The low end stutters as it erupts forward and ethereal, open-sounding notes above it cry out.

Heaving, lacerating bass snarls as the drums pound. The main synth melody returns, gliding through the music in a peaceful contrast to the darker, harder elements. The chimes that come in glimmer with gentle illumination in a way that I find beautiful. The low end slams onwards below the drifting melody, and the track comes to an end.

The sound of footsteps across a desolate landscape starts "World Without Sound." Wind sweeps in the background and a voice shouts, “Stop! Who dares to disturb my peace? You noise makers are all the same! You had your chance in the Before Time! Soon as I shall create a new world, a world without sound!” Now the pumping low end moves with angular, widely bursting synth as the kick drum thuds.

A hi-hat adds a ticking quality as bouncing, alien-sounding notes flit through the distance. After a drum flourish, a synth explodes with luminous motion in a melody that carries propulsive life. Trumpeting notes leap and sharp-edged, minor-key sounds march through the music with dramatic power. The rebounding low end undulates as clapping percussion moves along with darkly slicing bass.

I enjoy the way in which the effulgent synth melody dances with motivating liveliness and the drums flourish again. The whole track unfurls with bright light pouring from it. A secondary, quickly flickering series of notes moves behind the main melody as it suffuses the music with active movement and forward acceleration.

The drums and bass are solidly propulsive as the ringing notes above them fly out with unbounded strength. The round-sounding, popping notes move in the distance as the flashing melody jumps before the track ends on a heavily pounding kick drum and manic laughter.

“Survivor's Guilt” commences with widely rebounding, shining synth that moves expansively across a bass background as softly caressing notes glide out. The bass undulates, and now the sharp drums rebound as the drifting synth slips past with a melody that carries tenderness within it.

The low end has a pulsing power as the illuminating synth bounces through the track. The low end has deep power as a nasal-sounding synth pops into the music. I find the main melody calming while still expressing sadness. A lustrous synth now moves along in a settling slide as the contrastingly hard-hitting drums shape the music.

The shimmering synth moves in a steadily angular pattern before the soothing main melody sails out above the throbbing low end. This track provides a breath in the midst of the album’s intensity and shadow. Starry lights illuminate the track as the steadily repeating, brightly glowing synth moves above the solid bass and punchy drums. The track comes to an end with the lightly touching melody exuding melancholy.

A slicing sound flashes as the pounding kick drum and elevated, pulsing synth cry out to bring “You’re Going Down (Album Edit)” to life. The drums and bass provide an oscillating heartbeat as the brassy synth is suffused with light, sliding through the music with silken motion.

The low end continues to throb as a tense arpeggio carried on a hollow-sounding synth shifts. Open, panpipe-like synth undulates in steady motion, and the voiceover repeats “you're going down” as the low end pushes forward. The glimmering main melody dances with surprising gentleness despite the ferocious rush of the track. I enjoy the balance within this track.

Raised notes cry out as a warning sound rises, and laser-like sounds cut through. The high notes contain tightly wound energy as the low end becomes a slower pulse. The whole track pours light before ending on a high sound crying out and the drums pulsating weightily.

Conclusion

I enjoy the journey on which Descent takes me. The album moves across richly varied emotional landscapes and explores darkness, light, and many gradations in between. I feel as though I'm being taken through time and space as the music unfolds.

Beckett - Soft City Glow

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Beckett’s Soft City Glow evokes images of living in a cool, cosmopolitan city and enjoying the ambience of city lights and jazzy sounds. Beckett combines jazz fusion with synthesizer sounds and Japanese city pop to draw images of a laid-back yet urbane lifestyle. The way in which he mixes soloistic jazz elements with an intriguing synthesizer palette and chilled-out vibes carries me on an auditory journey.

I've always enjoyed Japanese jazz fusion and city pop, so Soft City Glow is a treat for me. The jazz elements are well done and full of entertaining, catchy solos, while the relaxed feeling of city pop permeates the album, creating rich imagery of a bustling city cooling down at night. The music is an ideal accompaniment to the journey on which the album takes me.

Atmosphere is an integral part of Soft City Glow. Beckett combines all of his musical elements, especially his synthesizer palette, to paint pictures of high-end apartments where people live sophisticated lives as they sip cocktails and mingle with their cosmopolitan friends. I enjoy the retro cool within the music that allows me to indulge in fantasies of a lifestyle and a place that never really existed but feels nostalgic to me.

I also want to mention Luca Ricardo's guitar work on the album. He captures the sensibilities with which Beckett has infused the music, and his skillful soloing adds to the jazz part of the music. I enjoy the tones and feeling he gets out of his guitar as it unfolds on the tracks on which he is featured.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“City Skyline” comes to life as glistening chords played on a jazz organ add soft luminosity as a hi-hat ticks. A kick drum begins to rebound as the gleaming chords flare out. Bending synth carries a silky smooth melody above throbbing drums and flashing notes. The lead synth twists through the music with a laid-back melody, drawing images of city lights sparkling against the twilight.

Ringing synth accents add a bright glow while the drums trip along easily. I enjoy the mingled warmth and chilled-out vibe of the music here. A slap bass adds a touch of funk while the lead synth's melody sails along with elegance and style above the guiding drums and lush bass. The jazz organ’s round tones carry the slick melody that creates lush relaxation.

Now the drums tick as chimes flash out, the slap bass sits in the groove and the jazz organ dances. The funky bass is joined by the drum beat and an open-voiced synth dancing above the jazz organ as it drifts with peaceful, cool lightness, and silence falls on the ringing chimes.

Sparkling chimes leap in a pattern that invokes drama as bass rumbles underneath to open “The Dockyard.” Howling synth cries out as a metallic keyboard carries a descending line and the drums throb. I enjoy the way in which excitement and uplifting energy fill the gleaming synth, as Luca Ricardo’s guitar cuts through with wild strength, climbing in warm and victorious notes.

The drums and bass are clean and rebound with throbbing motion while the spinning chimes flit past. Now the guitar calls out with intricately interwoven energy, creating propulsion and joy while the funky bass moves below it. The chimes continue to add a sense of anticipation as the rounded notes flow past. The chimes tumble as the guitar also fades out.

“Star Pulse” commences as cymbals flourish and a snare drum pops in sharply. razor-edged synth moves in an active pulse, and clapping sounds burst. Breathily, synth carries an encouraging, gentle melody over the sharply driving low end. Panpipe notes sing out with airy lightness, and a keyboard with full tones carries a positively moving melody.

Playful panpipes flit through the music in easy exhalations, and the guitar carries a hopeful, uplifting melodic line as chimes glimmer with delicate light. The low end propels the track with exuberance as the panpipe dance continues. Luca Ricardo’s guitar has a free and freeing feeling as it carries the interwoven melody on a tide of energy.

The drums and bass throb on as the guitar unfolds in relaxed motion. I find the openness and easygoing nature of the guitar addictive in this track. The melody unfolds with intricacy and joyful life as the pan pipes add glittering accents. The keyboard moves smoothly in the background, and the track comes to an end with happiness and a laid-back feeling.

The slap bass and drum groove create an irresistible pulse to begin "Surappu Fanku." It swings along easily as the bass sits in the pocket and the synth matches it with a bouncing pattern, feeling warm. A flute-like synth dances in a dynamic, leaping pattern that bops along with a playful feeling.

Fluting notes are joined by piano and a medium-high, full-sounding synth that sings out a melody full of enjoyment and chilled-out emotion. The drums and bass are locked together in a funky pulse as the elevated synth swirls past with breathy energy. I enjoy the way in which the mingled piano and flute-like notes create a hopeful feeling in the track.

Slap bass entangles in a pattern that is undeniably cool, as the tripping, raised synth jumps through the track with twirling life. A twisting synth with a trumpeting quality snaps through the music with lively motion before the main melody flies past with positive feelings pouring out of it, and the track ends.

“First Light” kicks off as a rather energetic bassline bounces, with quickly flitting, sparkling notes supporting a flute-like synth melody that sings with comfortable sensations. The drums have a guiding pulse as the flute-like synth unfurls in a cool and relaxing line, and the sparkling notes flicker in the distance as the bass throbs.

The track accelerates with joyful, freewheeling life, and the drums and bass pulse rapidly as the chimes shimmer and flow past. The low end continues to rebound and drive the track forward as the flute-like notes glide past with breathy momentum, and the rapidly shining background notes add twinkling luminosity.

I enjoy the music’s sense of possibility. Bursting notes flash past with a bouncy sensation as the bass cascades. The drums flourish, and the flute floats out again with a feeling of uplifting liveliness, while the glittering notes in the distance add textural delicacy. Now, that breathy synth slides and quarrels in a melodic line full of laid-back emotion.

A groovy, bouncing beat and a voiceover talking about aerobics starts off “Personal Best”. The low end has propulsive, driving energy and climbing, glowing synth that supports the aerobic voiceover. The main melody, carried on a medium-high, sharp-edged synth, dances along with unrestrained happiness, as orchestra hits flash through.

The percussion is energetic and full of elastic life as the melody provides encouragement and positivity. Now, richly toned synth carries a smoothly flowing melody, brimming over with exuberance and vitality. Delicate notes are passionate in the background with light ease as the melody flows forth. I enjoy the pure fun that Beckett has with this track.

A trumpeting synth surges out, providing an energy boost. Now, a jazzy keyboard solo explodes with passionate, speeding motion and interwoven notes before the trumpeting, confidence-boosting melody carries the song to an end.

Conclusion

Soft City Glow is a musically rich, ambience-drenched experience that draws me into a magical urban world of sophisticates, dimly lit jazz clubs, and richly appointed apartments looking out over the glistening lights of a metropolis.

Max Cruise - Sunrises

Review by Karl Magi

Overalll Album Impressions

Max Cruise’s Sunrises brings together talented performers with strong songwriting, perfectly judged nostalgia, and beautiful melodies to create music full of life and soul. When one adds in the jazz-inflected solos and the clear enthusiasm with which all of the performers approach the album, the result, in my mind, is magic.

I can't say enough good things about all of the musical performances on Sunrises. Max Cruise plays the saxophone with assurance, soul, and emotional depth, while Cam Blokland’s guitar work is expressive, intricate, and genuine. Pat DiMeo, Alessandra Gonzalez, and Shaun Holton each bring their own distinctive and powerful vocal abilities to bear on the album. Taken together, the result is moving and impressive.

Sometimes nostalgia is the most dangerous thing to play with in music. If one judges it wrongly, it comes off as contrived and cloying, but Sunrises hits the mark. There's a sense of warmth for times past, leavened by a sense that this is all rose-tinted memory. However, the music embraces that soft-focus remembrance and gives it emotional weight as the album unfolds.

The melodies and solos on Sunrises are another integral part of the album's success. Expressive beauty fills the melodic writing on the album, and the solos reflect the individual performers’ interpretations of the album's musical themes. When these two components come together, they create an affecting and lyrical whole.

I also enjoy the way in which the synths are layered on the album. They create another level of musical depth and give the album a textured and ear-catching complexity for which I have a great deal of appreciation. They make the music come alive even more.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

"Sunrises" comes into being as a warm synth sweep is cut into by a deeply expressive sax performance by Max Cruise calling out with sincere longing. Shaun Holton's voice captures the same fervent, needy emotion in a slowly trembling melody above rebounding drums and undulating bass.

Glittering synth echoes out as the drums flourish, while Shaun Holton lets loose with a powerfully emotional performance. The sax has a directly engaging ability to elicit emotion in a way that I enjoy. Shaun Holton's vocals have a pained quality as they shiver through the music, carrying the caressing melody.

Full-sounding notes ring out on a bell-like synth, the melody gentle and calming. The drums rebound, and now Shaun Holton's voice climbs with melancholy as chimes add a starlit shimmer. Max Cruise’s sax howls with piercing emotion, driving home the song’s expression of need and desire.

Powerful drums support an lushly woven sax solo, the sax intertwining in a thoughtful improvisation, adding to the lyrics' emotional power. I enjoy the solo’s freedom and unbridled emotion. Shaun Holton's voice soars along with the sax, doubling up on the impact of the song before it comes to an end.

The narrator says that "my heart is lonely tonight and it really don't feel right" because the song's subject knows he's been waiting for them. There isn't anything left for them to say because the other person just turns away. "You know that it's something I can't get used to." He wonders why it hurts so much and why he gets depressed when “I know you don't want me,” but his “foolish heart won't set me free.”

Our storyteller says that "the sun rises, no surprises" because everything's just the same as it was before. He still wants the other person, but they are uninterested. He says that he can't force the song subject, and he wouldn't want to. He adds that "the way you feel, I just can't deal," even though people tell him “there's more fish.” All he can see is an empty ocean. He says that it's just him and asks, "Who do I want to be?”

Massive drums pound along with gliding sounds and slowly pulsing, gleaming notes as the sax trembles to kick off “Midnight Racer”. The drums flourish, and the angular synth pulse is broken into by Max Cruise’s lyrical sax. It glides with easy-going motion, full of earnest feeling as the drums and bass undulate underneath.

Chimes add star-like light, and bell-like synths ring out. Now the sax skims along with smoothly unfurling dynamism, spinning out over a throbbing low end. The sax cries out with impassioned life, the melody full of bursting energy. The playing is silky smooth and confident in a way I find compelling. Max Cruise’s sax cries out with ardent yearning and Cam Blokland’s guitar unwinds with a powerfully affecting melody, unfolding in intricate lines.

The drums flourish and press on as Max Cruise solos with true skill, capturing propulsive energy and the feeling of streetlights rushing by. The solo is ear-catching and complex. Now the guitar and the sax mingle in one rush of lush sound, climbing up with a feeling of speeding down empty streets.

I can picture the blurring rush as the car explodes down empty asphalt. Cam Blokland solos with crying, bending intricacy as it spins and flies above the pulsing low end. The guitar’s accelerative sensation pushes the music forward before it fades out on the sax echoing into space.

"Heart on Fire" opens as glistening chimes flow above colossal drums that punch in a slow beat along with deep bass and the guitarist's smooth sound. Cam Blokland’s guitar brings peace as Pat DiMeo’s voice slips out in smooth, expressive lines that carry a melancholy melody. The chiming notes rise as Pat DiMeo's voice wrings out every bit of emotion from the lyrics.

The drums rebound, and the chorus glimmers as the guitar flickers past while the drums and bass throb weightily. Pat DiMeo's voice has the ability to press home the feelings captured within the words. I enjoy Pat DiMeo's soulful performance here. Cam Blokland’s guitar illuminates the track with softly surrounding sound as the massively pulsing drums and bass shape the music.

The chimes have a tenderness as the vocals soar with emotional power and affection. The drums flourish, and Max Cruise’s sax carries a solo that shines with the same emotive depth as the lyrics and vocals. It climbs with leaping energy and deep feeling before the song falls silent.

Our storyteller is in "the shadow of a city that was built on faded dreams," on streets that "creep and whisper," where nothing is as it appears. He says that when he's lost in the darkness and feeling as if he could go insane, he sees "a fire in the night; you're my guiding light," and with the song's subject, he can always find a way out.

The song subject’s love is "like a flame that never fades away" for the narrator. He can see in their eyes an undying love and a "burning gaze that sets my heart on fire." In the shadowy, lonely city, the other person gives him "hope when there is fear" as his world falls apart around him.

Our storyteller says that looking into the song subject’s eyes makes him feel like flying. They "lift me up when I am down" and embrace him when he cries. The other person is "just like the morning star, rising higher and higher." The other person turns the darkness into light and sets his heart aflame.

Smoothly lapping synth moves with chimes like sunlit glass, echoed by a more richly toned synth to commence "Runaway." Sparkling notes trip through the music as the bass undulates and Alessandra Gonzalez’s voice slips into the music with gentle expression. The melody she carries is fragile and touching as her voice rises along with ringing jazz organ chords adding brightness.

The drums and bass jump in an energetic pulse as Alessandra Gonzalez brings strength and expression to her voice while the chimes glitter with delicate illumination. The drums and bass rebound with strength and shaping energy. Alessandra Gonzalez imbues the vocals with energy and feeling, carrying the melody, which gains an uplifting quality.

The guitar comes in with a solo that bursts with more feeling, intensifying the emotions expressed in the lyrics. Alessandra Gonzalez fills her voice with heartfelt strength as it arcs into the song and captures the mood it tries to express. Max Cruise’s sax howls with the reedy expression that only a sax possesses.

Max Cruise drives home the song’s feeling of need with the skillful application of his talent while Cam Blokland uses his own talented fingers to let loose a solo that feels celebratory and joyful while Alessandra Gonzalez carries the song out with her undeniably ear-catching voice.

The narrator says that even "hidden in the darkness, locked away from sight," she can hear the whispering that echoes in the night. She adds that she is in a serious situation, imprisoned in her mind. She is "held captive by emotion and taunted by desire.” She wants to run away with the song subject to "cross that line" if she wants to run away with the other person.

The storyteller finds herself "lost at sea without an anchor," confronting many path shipwrecks. When she sailed past a siren, "she just stared at me and laughed.” In her serious situation, entrapped in her mind, she says that she has to "find a key to break out and leave all this behind.”

"Dark Clouds" begins with tranquil synth, crystalline bells, and softly touching drums supported by a rich bass upwelling. An unctuously flowing synth carries a wistful and dreamy melody as trickling notes flit through the background and the bass pulses. The melody reaches out with gently touching emotion, and the drums come in to add shape.

Limpid arpeggios ripple past with aquatic smoothness as the bass surrounds me. Broad-sounding, rough-edged synth carries an aching melody full of gentleness, touched with shadow. The glimmering synth in the background shines, and watery notes float past. Max Cruise's sax captures the music’s tender emotion and translates it into a layered solo that perfectly encapsulates the song's mood. His skill on the sax is indisputable, and his performances have true soul.

The big drums continue to throb, and the sax leaps out, piercing right to the emotional heart of the track. The low end continues to add support as the sax skips through the music with intense feeling. The track ends on the liquid synth and glittering chimes, along with the hugely pulsing low end and a sax flourish.

Scintillating synth carries a soothing melody out above a rippling background to commence "Unfair Love." The guitar doubles the chiming synth with rich backing, and Shaun Holton pours out vocals with silk, tones, and deep feeling. The melody is yearning and affecting as the chorus chants in the background.

A lithe synth accompanies Shaun Holton's powerfully expressive voice, and the guitar adds similarly hard-hitting expression. The drums and bass rebound with guiding strength, and the vocals in the chorus are full of emotion. Cam Blokland’s guitar cries out with a heartbreaking feeling as the drums rebound and the bass throbs. Shaun Holton’s voice soars, and Max Cruise's sax adds more emotional layers.

The chorus is chanted, and Shaun Holton gives free rein to his feelings as the guitar twists and cries to the sky with touching sensations. The guitar somersaults through the music with smooth intricacy, and the track ends with the vocals drifting out above the guitar and drums.

The song's narrator asks, "How can you say that love is not fair?" because it was never meant to be that way. He adds that it's hard to believe "that we came from there" as everybody says what they thought it was.

Our storyteller wants to know why people stay when nobody's there. He wants to know what they feel and why they care. He continues by saying that he knows "how it can feel like nothing is real."

The narrator points out that when everything's said and done, "we're free to the sky above," and things will never come to an end.

"Azure" begins with tranquil chimes echoed by Max Cruise’s mellow sax as rounded, glowing notes flow out. The sax grabs hold of my ears as the luscious notes roll around them and pull me into the music. Chimes flash and the percussion adds a smoothly ticking shape as electric bass twins to add support.

The sax flows out with punchy, intricately intertwined notes and a full tone. The chimes sparkle again, and Max Cruise pours out his soul through the sax as string-like notes trickle. The drums are powerful and full sounding, with metallic synth moving out. The sax solo is complex and played with deep skill, weaving an emotional tapestry as it howls out over the pulsing low end.

I enjoy the way in which the sax puts me in touch with the music’s expressive centre. The drums rebound again and ringing synth flickers before the sax carries the plaintive melody through the music. The track ends with the bass moving along with rippling xylophone-like arpeggios and clapping percussion.

Conclusion

Sunrises is an emotional and musical journey for me as a listener. It captures a time and place effectively while exploring love, loss, and the past. There's nostalgia, but it's a nostalgia tempered by freshness and obvious musical passion. All of these factors make this an album I could listen to many times and not get tired of hearing.

ANNIEE - Captured

Foreword by Vero Kitsuné. Single Review by Karl Magi.

American synth and electronic artist Anniee is Anne Eisandrath, a classically-trained vocalist and musical theatre composer based in Montclair, New Jersey. Her music centers around the effervescence of nostalgia, combining lush synth soundscapes with dynamic new wave dance beats, layers of angelic yet indelible vocal delivery, and evocative lyricism about love and longing. The classical nuanced performances fused with retro electronic sounds give this project a very unique touch, thru a fluid mix of genres including synthwave, new wave, electropop and trip hop. Over the last couple of years, Anniee has been releasing singles and collaborations with fellow synth and electronic artist-producers such as Von Hertzog (VHxRR), Cassetter, and guitarist Dimi Kaye. Earlier this year, she embarked upon the production of her first long-play, slated for release spring of next year. “Captured” is the first single from the upcoming record.

Anniee’s “Captured” explores a complex and dark relationship. The song commences as ticking drums move below widely sweeping synth and glistening chimes. Powerful bass pounds along with the crisp drums, and Anniee’s voice calls out with expressive emotion. An enigmatic synth glides in the distance while Anniee’s vocals have a chanting quality. 

The synth moves in an active line as shimmering notes add flickering illumination while bass rumbles. Aching emotion fills Anniee’s haunting voice. The trembling synth has a nervous feeling as the melancholy vocals drift. The main melody, carried on a tightly rebounding synth, has a bouncing quality as Anniee captures the twist in the lyrics as the drums and bass form an undulating pulse. 

Tautly rippling, slicing synth moves along, accented with sonic bubbles as Anniee’s voice trails mysteriously. I am enamoured of the darkness captured within Anniee’s performance. Ringing chimes sparkle as the lyrics slip past. Massive, razor-edged synth carries the main melody, which moves with a sense of threat as the song fades to silence.

Our storyteller says that every time she thinks about a certain moment, she falls apart. She points out that "I just took the photo, but you took my heart," like a "wandering flash of light" that she left behind her in the shadows. She repeats that every time her thoughts turn to that moment, she falls apart.

The narrator says that she captured the song's subject in "one star-soaked moment," and at the same time, the other person captured her. She points out that she runs away "before true love can start," but she can hear the song’s subject "calling me out in the dark."

The song's subject is "callin’ on that red game of death," as our storyteller again says that she was captured by the other person, just as they captured her in one "star-soaked moment."

For more Anniee, visit https://anniee1.bandcamp.com/