Dream Shore -Resilience Pt. II

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Dream Shore’s Resilience Pt. II unfolds like a 1980s martial arts movie as a character trains to become a tougher, more self-reliant fighter and discovers many aspects of their personality in the process. It mingles atmospheric soundscapes with percussive energy and engaging melodies to weave a cinematic tale. I enjoy the way in which the different synth elements interact along with unique instrumental sounds such as taiko drums and a shakuhachi to draw me into the story and carry me along.

Atmosphere is crucial to the success of Resilience Pt. II. Dream Shore evokes all of the thrills and gritty determination of the best martial arts movies. As the album progresses, I can imagine a young warrior progressing from inexperience and fear to confidence and skill. The way in which each sonic vignette unfolds is like different shots coming together to create an exciting and enjoyable scene.

I am particularly enamored of the way in which percussion is used on Resilience Pt. II. The different drum sounds create motion and atmosphere at the same time. The heavy rumble of the taiko drums and some of the varied other percussion sounds add auditory interest and help to imbue the album with speed and dynamism as it unfolds.

Melody is a crucial component of Resilience Pt. II. Dream Shore crafts both tranquility and drama in his melodic writing. No matter what mood he is seeking to convey, the end result is powerful and ear-pleasing. I also enjoy the way in which Dream Shore contrasts tracks with beautiful and elegant melodic moments interspersed by tracks which charge and thunder with unstoppable energy.

All of Dream Shore's instrument choices and synth sounds come together to help paint a picture of the progress achieved by the main character. Each different auditory profile has a color or shading to it which only deepens the effectiveness of the imagery created within Resilience Pt. II.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

"Exploration" comes into being as smoothly throbbing drums and gliding synth swirl together into a caressing pulse. The drums are heavy and the bass is dense as a sitar-like synth carries a gently entangling melody while chimes dance in the distance. The open-voiced drums rebound as echoing notes levitate and thick bass shapes the track.

Tenderly glimmering synth is cut by limpid notes tumbling in a softly glistening line and the low end continues to shape the music. The sitar-like synth intertwines and sings an encouraging and adventurous melody. Panpipe notes twirl out in airy and complex lines, adding an immemorial feeling before the track comes to an end on the twisting sitar and its uplifting melody.

Taiko drums rumble and reverberate to kick off "Unexpected Defeat." Their thunderous power forms a steady pulse as they deeply boom and drive. Shadowy strings shift with ominous strength as the metallic sounds and the steadily pounding taiko are joined by a fluting synth carrying a mysterious melody.

The delicate notes hover and the slamming drum beat pushes forward with the dark and powerful strings intertwining. The action and drama of this track compel me to listen more deeply as threatening, descending notes fill the music. The drums fade away as the heavy weight of the bass ends the track.

“Investigation” begins with a distantly hovering synth and hollow notes that echo above a solid bass heartbeat. A sense of creeping danger and mystery rises as soft strings wrap around one another in warmth, while the ticking, open-voiced synth delicately touches the music.

A softly exhaling flute carries a peaceful, mournful melody that drifts past, like blossoms caught on the breeze. Affectionate sensations fill me as I hear the flute unwind, diaphanous and soothing, above the rapidly tumbling notes and deep bass. A delicately shining synth flickers as the drifting notes in the distance wander past with tranquil lightness before the track comes to an end.

Chimes flicker with fragile delicacy as percussion ticks to start "Severe Training." Piano chords add smoothness and weight as a delicately hovering melody glides on a fluting synth. Now the drums pound as the timeless-sounding flute thrills with an elegantly slipping melody, light and effervescent.

The drums, in contrast, add weight and depth, contributing to the shaping of the music. Chimes flicker with sunlit lightness as the kick drum continues to pulse and the guitar cuts in with weight and uplifting strength.

Metallic percussion rings out in the distance while the growling guitar adds a muscled feeling. I enjoy the flute’s fragility and meditative quality as it cries out above the guiding low end. There is a wonderfully caressing quality in the flute while the guitar adds sharp-edged weight and contrast before the track ends.

"Stealth" opens with an ethereally flickering synth trickling peacefully above a slowly drifting series of chords. There's a wandering, unmoored quality in the chords as rounded, caressing synth descends and a ticking hi-hat adds shape. Refulgent chimes sparkle with a light touch as the drum beat swings and patterns. Intermingling, gossamer synth dances as a metallic instrument vibrates, filling the music with soft luminance.

Woodblock percussion moves with the slowly washing drums and resonant synth carries a melody that slides and glides. A guitar howls through the music with a bluesy feeling, adding an emotional secrecy to the music as it twists and dances. Steady xylophone-like notes flicker in the distance as the woodblock taps. String-like synth floats with easy grace as the chimes flit.

The guitar entangles with a touching feeling as the ticking drum and pulsing bass flow into a percussive section while the xylophone trembles and reverberates before silence falls.

Conclusion

Resilience Pt. II. is a fun and nostalgic journey through the quest of a young martial artist to become a master. I enjoy the way in which it functions as a head movie that unfolds in sonic scenes that are full of energy and life. The way the album sticks to its concept makes it enjoyable and engaging.

NOEMI AURORA - Kintsugi

Review by Chris Magdalenski

Black Laced, Sanguine and Sweet: A Review of Kintsugi (Disaster Version)

Like a siren’s call across a boundless ocean of dark hymns, singer Noemi Aurora draws me in with her elegant vocals. Sweet with a breathlessly bitter edge, they weave their way into my ears — each verse casting a spell that entices me to prolong my visit to her sonic realm. 

But this lyrical enchantress is more than just a beautiful voice. With their catchy beats, pulsing baselines and sweeping synths, every track on the album would be at home as the background music to a night out at the goth club. There’s a catchiness to the songwriting that’s undeniable, with songs such as “Dal Giardino Di Algos” and “The Alchemist” being two that I keep coming back to over and over again.

That said, Aurora isn’t afraid to experiment. “Yugen” is atmospheric piece that utilizes many multiple layers of vocals to create a dark yet lush soundscape that is both mysterious and epic. It showcases a somewhat different side of her, one that reaches for a complexity beyond the dance floor or the lounge. Halfway through the album I was already a fan, but it was this song that sealed the deal.

At this point, I have little else to say except that Noemi Aurora is a crafter of the kind of sultry goth songs I could listen to over and over again. I highly recommend giving all her albums a listen.

For more Noemi Aurora: https://noemiaurora.bandcamp.com/

Bad Guys Get Dead - Stellar Cartography

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Bad Guys Get Dead’s Stellar Cartography carries listeners on a powerful, ethereal and dramatic journey through the complexity and majesty of the universe. An underlying darkness fills the music while moments of triumph and tenderness mingle with richly layered synths, guitar and percussion. The artist crafts a galactic journey that is full of both shadow and beauty, much like the universe in which we live.

One of the first elements that drew me to Stellar Cartography is the atmosphere that Bad Guys Get Dead creates. The music’s spaciousness and weighty feeling generates images of vast blackness. Intricately interwoven synth layers paint images of grand galactic structures and beautifully sparkling star fields. I can close my eyes as I listen and be transported across immeasurable distances and through sights of stunning cosmic beauty by the music.

Another factor in Stellar Cartography's success is the way it layers together sonic elements, like an artist building up the impasto on a painting. Each flickering mote of light and rumbling bass wave adds another layer of complexity and depth to the album. The interaction between guitar, synth sounds and the propulsive percussion creates microtonal beauty and a sense of three-dimensional sound that I am strongly enamored with.

I also want to mention the melodic writing on Stellar Cartography. Bad Guys Get Dead has created melodies that are sometimes tragic, sometimes triumphant and always full of engaging feelings and expression. His facility for conveying emotion in his melodic writing carries me away and moves me with the way each melody unfolds. Each melodic part only increases the feeling of journeying across space.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Melancholy of the Voyager” starts off as deeply shifting bass growls while a voiceover speaks about Voyager 1 sending information back to Earth. Distantly wandering notes move through strangely twisting space, writhing and vibrating with a haunting feeling. The voiceover echoes above the roughly rumbling low end, creating a vast feeling as twanging bass begins to undulate with gruff edges.

The pulse becomes more intense as faraway sounds begin to tremble and shift, while notes drift like solar wind. A warmly beaming, minor-key-tinged synth trails as the drums and bass form a dynamic, cutting line that oscillates while quick sounds whisper through the music. I enjoy the unsettled, off-balance quality of the track as computerized notes burst and fade while the low end adds dramatic sensations. The 8-bit notes carry a melody that roams with digital randomness before the track ends.

A deeply open sound glides with luscious depth and surging power to kick off “Stellar Cartography.” Now computerized notes float out with a trailing lightness as the round depths below flow and glide. Fragile, ethereally glittering tones hover with brushing delicacy as sharp sounds float out into the distance above the thick bass swell.

Expansively slipping feelings fill the music as metallic notes trip and heavy drums thunder. A sweeping sound flits as the hard-hitting low end and gigantic bass shape the music. In the distance, cosmic sounds drift out into openness while ringing notes add a mechanized quality. Razor-edged sounds vibrate into the hollowness around them while the thick drums continue to pulse. A sense of inevitable motion fills the music, imbuing me with feelings of intense strength.

An open-voiced, fluting melody carries a deeply tranquil and meditative tune, lifting me away into the vast spaces of the universe. The drum beat’s pulse shapes the music as galactic notes roam out through the void. Tremulous notes cry out in slashing but brief patterns as distant serenity flows around them and the low end drives on. Metallic notes ring again and a steadily pulsating, bouncing rhythm moves through the music before silence falls.

"People of the Kuiper" starts with crackling static and slowly floating sounds that blend into the music as gruff sounds shift. Now the drums and bass heave with powerful muscle and echo outward while harshly growling notes tremble. The hi-hat begins to kick with the bass drum, creating powerful forward motion as the gritty sounds snarl in the distance. Weight and strength pour from the music as ominous notes rumble and twisted voices move in the background.

An electric guitar bends into the music with minor key madness, exuding threat as it twirls and cuts while the low end continues to pulsate. Rough sounds slice through and the drums continue to pound hard while the bass swirls. Rough noises slip through the music as a guitar growls again, with slipping notes moving behind it. The hi-hat continues to trip as the electric guitar shreds into the music with tearing energy and harsh noises rip through. There is a dominant power here that I find intimidating in the best possible way.

Long sweeps of sound call out while the guttural notes rumble below. The bass rebounds with colossal weight as angular noises echo into space. The drums continue to batter as distant noises cut in and fade. Power emanates from the music along with a palpable shadow as the guitar howls in ghostly motion. Rattling noises slice in the distance while the drums continue to hammer and the wobbling notes writhe. The guitar is a physical force above the unending low-end heartbeat. The track hammers to an end with darkness and threat.

"Protogalaxy" opens with serenely drifting synths that move with lusciously undulating bass. Arpeggiating notes float in steady motion, deep and rich, while a slowly thudding kick drum moves below. The spinning notes create elegant motion as swirling sounds combine in the distance. The drums are heavy and sharp as the continually oscillating arpeggio creates increasing depth and density.

The drums collide as the dramatic tension builds while the arpeggios spin. Brilliantly glimmering chords rise with minor key light as the drums add more speed, becoming faster and more intense. There’s a countdown and the low end begins to speed forward as sharply twisting notes swerve through the music in rapid cascade. The twirling arpeggios add to the forward motion, speeding up with increasing wildness.

A nasally dancing synth slashes through the music with an off-key feeling while the low end continues to batter. The ever-accelerating track creates a sense of a newly forming galaxy in roiling motion. I am compelled by the mad rush as the sounds intermingle and charge forward. The percussion continues to rebound while warning sounds cry out. The track ends as it began, with a calming and tender sonic flow.

"Dust Nebulous" commences as a steadily hovering sound moves distantly, with vibrations reverberating throughout. A distant, plaintive chord adds a wandering, searching quality as the ruffling synth lightly touches the track. There’s a tentative and uncertain feeling as the winding synth rises slowly, adding a soft glow.

A broadly throbbing drum forms a steady heartbeat as warm strings curl together. The drums and trembling synth create a feeling of continual motion while the caressing strings add cosmic gentleness. The low-end pulse is shifting and uneven, while rough sounds slip past and a rapidly rippling synth arpeggiates quickly, adding tranquility.

Rattling sounds shift as the quickly undulating notes intermingle with smoothness and tenderness. Harder-edged noises buzz in the distance as the drums pulse and arpeggios swirl above the stuttering, breaking drums that echo into open space. I enjoy the hauntingly meditative quality that permeates this music as the drums rush and fade to silence.

"Cosmic Obscura" kicks off with slowly descending, sparkling notes flowing out into a static backdrop. Threatening bass looms as glowing motes of light trickle downward in sharply angled motion. Now the bass pulses evenly while a clean, whirling arpeggio dances in the distance. Massive bass seethes below as quickly shimmering notes reverberate into open space.

Orchestral strings play and now ferociously slicing notes move above a hollow and peaceful synth, creating a sense of all-pervading calm. I enjoy the fluting synth’s contrast to the colossal and abrasive sounds moving in the distance. The drums flourish and pound as the twirling notes cascade downward above the darkly rising bass.

The drums tap and smack as sounds descend rapidly, open-voiced and thoughtful in their feeling. The drums collide again and the hissing background is cut by clear strings that add delicate luminosity above the throbbing drums. The strings tremble and flash, intertwining as the endlessly drifting notes wander through the track. Once again, the drums rebound while the orchestral strings are cut by trumpeting noises with a sense of danger. Luscious sounds dance together before the track comes to an end.

Conclusion

Stellar Cartography is a thrilling and well-crafted musical journey that carries me through the stars. From the impossible voids of endless space to intensely beautiful planetary vistas and sparkling planes of stars, Bad Guys Get Dead fills me with sublime terror and intense joy through his music.

The Blue Book Project - Almost Human

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

The Blue Book Project’s Almost Human is a rich mixture of layered textures with well-crafted melodies, thoughtful songwriting and excellent guest performances. As a whole, it is a beautiful instrumental and lyrical exploration of the human condition and experiences we all share.

One of the stronger aspects of Almost Human is the melodic writing that The Blue Book Project demonstrates throughout. He crafts nuanced and touching melodies that are full of emotion—sometimes bright and encouraging, other times dark and melancholy. Either way, the melodies draw me in and capture me with their expressive and direct feelings, adding to a fuller listening experience.

I also enjoy the songwriting that The Blue Book Project brings to Almost Human. The lyrics are full of nostalgia, memory and a mingling of hope and melancholy. I appreciate the way the artist captures emotion and transmits it to me through his words. The songs are filled with strong imagery and emotional clarity, creating a deeper attachment to the album.

Another strong aspect of Almost Human are the guest performances featured on it. Each guest brings a unique vision to the music, adding their own touch to the overall approach the artist takes. Whether it’s the vocals on “Castle in the Sky” or “Dreamers in the Night”, the performances are heartwarming and deeply touching.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Midnight Drives” comes into being as an easily spinning, intensely luminous synth twirls out alongside a warmly energizing arpeggio while the thudding kick drum pulses. A dreamy quality fills the smoothly levitating synth as it dances through the music while the snare drum kicks.

Undulating notes exude luxurious brightness as the drums flourish and reverberant chimes ring out with a celebratory melody. A sense of freedom and the open road under the wheels of a beautiful sports car pervades the music as the tensely leaping notes with a metallic ring skip along.

The drums continue to punch and flourish while the trumpeting notes carry a melody that fills me with an easy-going lightness and a sense of adventure. The chimes ring ethereally again, spreading their graceful luminosity. Now the twisting, nasal-sounding synth carries a noble melody with a slightly distorted feeling before the song drives to an end.

Solidly pumping drums and hollow percussion move with a distantly surging bass pulse to start “Overload”. Now the computerized-sounding synth shifts in towering walls of energetic sound as the drums and bass continue to pulsate. A robotic-sounding noise moves in the distance as the steady pulse oscillates. Gliding notes intertwine in the distance as a happily glistening melody sings an encouraging tune above the steadily bursting low end.

Hollow percussion pops as the brightly dancing notes interlock with flaring liveliness. The melody that slides in grabs hold of me and pulls me along, eager and joyous, moving through the music with glowing ease. The drums continue to add shape while the melody sings with an affectionate feeling. A darkly angular pulsation rises and falls rapidly, sharp edges cutting as the digital-sounding pulse continues to move, while the brighter notes glitter before the continual pulse fades.

A razor-sharp, medium-high synth carries an enigmatic melody out above sweeping winds as “Almost Human” starts. The kick drum begins to pulsate in a steady beat as the sharp-edged synth repeats the melodic pattern with hypnotic energy.

The snare drum comes in and bursts now as chimes ring out with a ghostly melody and the kick drum is joined by the solid bass. A broadly intertwining synth shifts with cosmic delicacy as the low end pushes the music forward. The chimes flash as the melody slips past on a drifting synth. A robotic voice comes in now as the drums and bass accelerate, with hollow percussion adding an additional element.

The lead synth has a clean, metallic sound as it rings out, carrying the mystical melody. A bending, twisting synth solos with a wildly arcing feeling as crystalline chimes call out with a gentler and more aching melody. Underneath it all, the drums and bass continue to launch forward with driving energy before the track falls silent.

“Dreamers In The Night” commences as shimmering, resonant bells ring out along with rich bass as a firm kick drum pulses. Alex from eLxAr’s voice is full of abiding gentleness and a light, airy quality.

Shimmering chimes dance with flaring radiance as a brassy synth calls out with encouraging energy. The drums burst along with the vocals which ache with a nostalgia that permeates the music. The chorus soars up with Alex’s voice brimming with expressive energy. Widely glistening bells ring out with gentle luminosity as drums and bass shape the music.

The chorus rises up with positivity and warmth as a broadly gleaming synth fills the background. Bells tremble with brightness as Alex's delicate voice captures the music's dreamy quality. A disco section with flashing string-like synth leaps out before the chorus lifts up with joy and guitar sings out with dynamic life. The vocals mix with the other musical elements before silence falls.

The storyteller talks about having a flashback of the days when they were young and could be “chasing dreams under the stars." They were living their lives and enjoying themselves under the city lights “where freedom never dies." They wore leather jackets and kept their sunglasses on at night as they felt “wild in the neon light." It was all about vintage cars and late night drives where it felt so good to break the rules.

Our narrator talks about him and his friends being "dreamers in the night" as they danced all night long and played music to feel alive. He goes on to say that the night air was full of disco beats. There were “midnight tales in every street” along with their echoing heart beats. He talks about how "synth notes and electric guitars resonate in our hearts.”

The storyteller and his friends left “footprints on the vinyl floor.” They were full of vitality and feeling “lost in time” as they stayed living through the night. He concludes that they were "wild hearts of the night “ as they danced under neon lights and dreamed, lived and loved.

Warmly intertwining, smooth synth tumbles as a solid drum and bass pulse shifts as “Castle in the Sky” begins. Piano chords are gentle and aching as Nicolas’ softly touching vocals carry the delicately caressing melody.

Arpeggios with a shining radiance leap and Nicolas captures melancholy and wistful thought in his lyrical voice.

Bell-like synth carries the main melody, caressing me with painful tenderness. The softly affecting vocals slip past as the drums and bass add shape. Glistening arpeggios wash through and the chorus fills me with deep emotion as the track progresses.

Now the softly twirling synths and bell-like keyboard move as the drum beat changes tempo, while Nicolas' voice and the backing vocals create a dreamy, hurt atmosphere. Chimes ring with soft luminosity and the chorus arcs upward as the guitar cuts in. The arpeggios undulate and the track comes to an end on the expressive vocals.

Our narrator is turning "a blaze into a haze of half-remembered days" as he brings what's "retrograde into the future." As he builds a sky castle, he burns his bridges.

The songwriter adds that "it's something nobody can see, nobody else but me." He says that he cannot keep his friendships safe "from turning black and white." He says that he conceals them in his pocket, just in case they start to fade away.

Our narrator’s burning bridges remain unseen to others, but when he glances around, realizing that everything has changed, he wonders, "What was really true?" As he searches for an unchanging thing, he discovers that he is starting to change himself.

Fascinating, open-voiced percussion rebounds as clapping and seeking sounds add to the variety of percussive effects to open “Life's a Beach”. Sharp-edged, shifting rhythms move as the hollow drums float out to create a groove. Trumpeting shimmies with a hip-shaking motion as the drums move around one another. A panpipe-like melody skips out in a chilled-out and playful tune, wriggling through the music with a laid-back sensation. The tropical vibes that emanate from the track draw me in with their fun and easygoing nature.

Undulating bass is joined by quickly trickling notes that shimmer past as the clapping percussion adds a steady heartbeat. Brassy tones move with a shuffling, cool energy and a melody that has a summery vibe. A xylophone flickers in the background before the active bass cascades and throbs. The glowing sound has a groovy swing to it while nasal-sounding notes wind out with relaxation. A steady, warm glow suffuses the background as the bright shuffle is joined by bubbling pipes that cruise to a conclusion.

Conclusion

Almost Human is an emotional and musical journey that carries me through lusciously layered sounds and melodic beauty while capturing deep emotion and a sense of dreamy hope and remembrance. I could listen to this album many times and always find it enjoyable.