LACRIMORTA - One Flesh, One End

Written by Vero Kitsuné

As a follow up to her critically-acclaimed self-titled record, Guam-based American multi-instrumentalist and producer LACRIMORTA (formerly known as Virtual Intelligence) gives us the dark, jeweled, multi-faceted and downright phenomenal gothic LP, One Flesh, One End.

The record starts off with a very bold declaration in the track “Reverend Daughter” — “I deserve to die at your hand… You’re my only friend.” This song plunges deep into the gothic romance and visual kei aesthetic, marrying melodramatic lyrics with a sound that’s both lush and unrelenting. Musically, it evokes a cinematic sense of doom—layers of distorted guitar riffs swirl with eerie crystalline synths. Lacrimorta’s vocals - her most polished and most emotive yet - oscillate between anguished cries and whispered intimacy, amplifying the emotional volatility. Lyrically, it’s a dark love letter from something not quite human—an undead creation and stitched together from sorrow and rage. The overall vibe is tragic and theatrical, equal parts beautiful and grotesque, as if the song itself were a cursed waltz in a crumbling, candlelit cathedral.

“Alectopause (Suffer and Learn)” enters and is perhaps the most unique track in the record. This song blends the romantic melancholy of visual kei with the lush textures of ambient and trance, creating a dreamlike, otherworldly atmosphere. The lush vocal harmonies drift like ghosts through shimmering synths and elegant guitar flourishes, while the pulsating beat gives the track a strangely danceable energy beneath its funereal tone. The lyrics conjure a love that transcends death, distance, and identity—a union haunted by longing and spiritual entrapment. It's both ethereal and intense.

This track careens off the gothic rails and dives headfirst into absurdist electro-metal mayhem entitled “Soup,” delivering a blistering ode to soup-making with the intensity of a divine crusade. Double kicks thunder beneath tantric guitar licks while the vocals swing between sacred incantation and unhinged kitchen meltdown. It’s like a cooking show hosted by a warlock in a mech suit—equal parts chaos, culinary disaster, and cosmic prophecy. The lyrics are deadpan hilarious, turning the humble act of making broth into a mythic saga of bone-stirring, saint-exploding devotion. It shouldn’t work—but it absolutely slaps, and somehow leaves you craving both enlightenment and a bowl of stew. In short: It is absolutely GENIUS!

“Beautiful Labyrinth” drifts through a vast, cosmic dreamscape—where trance-like synths and techno pulses meet the emotional drama of gothic romance. The sound is expansive and celestial, layering airy melodies with deep, driving rhythms that feel like love songs whispered across collapsing stars. Lyrically, it’s a mythic tragedy: divine power, planetary destruction, and the unbearable weight of eternal love. Even as the universe burns and gods fall, a single voice pleads, “Nona don’t go”—a moment of surreal tenderness that hits like starlight through smoke.

“Sweet Sister Lyctor (The First Flower of My House)” hits like a sermon at a nightclub built inside a tomb—ritualistic, feral, and irresistibly danceable. It layers pulsing darkwave tones with trance textures, while the beautiful vocals shift between cold command and raw desperation. The lyrics blur the line between sacred vow and violent intimacy, invoking soul consumption, flesh, and ancient oaths with theatrical conviction. It’s not just a song—it’s a cursed liturgy set to a beat, daring you to move while the world ends around you.

“Prayer to the Locked Tomb” dramatically unfolds like a sacred incantation wrapped in velvet and steel—gothic visual kei at its most meditative and martial. Tantric arpeggiated guitars shimmer with stunning precision over heavy, ritualistic drums, while spectral vocals chant prayers to a silent, undying empire. The repetition of liturgical phrases builds a hypnotic tension, evoking both religious devotion and quiet dread. It feels less like a song and more like a holy rite whispered in the dark—solemn, beautiful, and utterly unrelenting.

“Psycho Shadow Vestal” pulses with a euphoric urgency—trance rhythms and Europop vibrance driving an emotional undercurrent of loss, identity, and cosmic yearning. Delicate piano lines float above the beat, offering moments of fragile beauty between soaring synths and heartfelt vocal harmonies. It’s both dancefloor catharsis and melancholic revelation—a glittering, haunted journey through light, shadow, and the type of self-discovery found in the neon-lit, smokey halls of underground clubs,

The record ends with an instrumental EDM and trance banger “Blood of Eden” that takes audiences deep into the euphoric underground, reminiscent of movies like The Matrix. Pulsating synths and expansive soundscapes create a decadent atmosphere where futuristic textures collide with hypnotic rhythms, propelling listeners into a transcendent state. The track’s relentless energy and cascading layers evoke a digital odyssey, perfectly capturing the tension between technology and humanity. It’s a powerful finale that leaves you both exhilarated and suspended in a cosmic dance beyond time and space.

Lacrimorta’s One Flesh, One End is a true revelation—not only showcasing the artist’s full musical prowess but also delivering a profoundly immersive journey through the many facets of dark gothic romance. From the shadowy depths of necromantic rites and blood-soaked devotion to expansive, trance-like realms where ethereal souls drift beyond time and space, the record masterfully balances brutality with beauty. It fuses cinematic intensity, lush ambient textures, and dancefloor synergy, seamlessly weaving haunting vocals, tantric guitars, and pulsating beats into a rich tapestry of sound. Whether conjuring apocalyptic passion, sacred rituals, or cosmic longing, Lacrimorta invites listeners to surrender to a world where love and darkness are forever intertwined—an evocative odyssey that lingers long after the last note fades.

One Flesh, One End is a triumphant long play that has fixed itself as one of the top records - if not THE BEST - of the year.

For more Lacrimorta, visit: https://lacrimorta.bandcamp.com/

Cyberwalker - Another World

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Cyberwalker’s Another World is a beautifully layered and intricately woven synth journey. The music is heartfelt, serene and full of emotional strength as it unfolds. The artist has a superb ear for synth combinations, melody and the imagination to create engaging imagery. The end result is an album that transports me to its creator’s auditory world and immerses me in it as we travel together.

A standout feature of Another World is the way in which Cyberwalker skillfully takes the sonic threads of each synth sound and spins them into a fabric of serenity, tinged with darkness and shot through with hope. Each individual sound seems carefully chosen and the way in which each sound interacts adds another level of depth and emotion. Taken together, all of these elements coalesce into a cohesive and ear-pleasing album.

Another superb aspect of Another World is its melodic component. Cyberwalker has written melodies that touch my heart and carry me to new horizons. He explores everything from celebratory joy to melancholy contemplation through his melodic writing. Once again, the way in which the melodies interact with the intricately intertwining synths deepens the sensation of traveling through auditory landscapes that evolve and reveal new vistas as they unfold.

Throughout Another World, Cyberwalker helps me paint mental imagery with his musical creation. He combines all of his skill and his ear for sonic beauty to draw and contour the world that he reveals through the music. I find myself enjoying every bit of the adventure I take with the artist as he guides me to the next musical moment and the next stunning image.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Natural Science” comes into being as distantly echoing notes drift and rain falls, while a caressing synth roams with soothing softness. Tremendously deep bass reverberates as the percussion taps widely and tiny lights flicker from the synth.

Now the bass is a steady, muscled pulse as a meditative synth flows with deep peace. As the giant drums hit hard, diaphanous sounds trail with muffled luminosity. An elevated, diamond-sharp synth sparkles with sunlight as a sweeping sound drifts like a breeze through the desert.

The drums are a heartbeat as a coruscating synth carries a tenderly touching melodic line and the bass is all luxurious richness. A synth levitates with a mournful touch and a hopeful glow as the bass continues to undulate. The drums flourish and a trembling, misty synth carries a yearning melody, reaching out to lightly touch my emotions and pull me in.

An effulgent synth glitters with soothing luminosity while the low end throbs like the heart in my chest. A lucent synth exudes clear light as the percussion drifts away and the dense bass moves. The elevated synth slides out in long lines, filling the music with glow. The drums pound again as birds sing and a calming synth sails like a spring breeze before the track ends on reverberating, metallic notes.

A smoothly floating synth spins in galactic motion, infused with trembling delicacy to open “Infinite Journey.” The synth slips silkily as a solid bass pulse continues to throb evenly and the kick drum adds form.

Twirling arpeggios exude transporting, mellow emotion as the drums and bass continue to pulse. Sharp notes cut with extended motion as the relaxed arpeggios float out below. A nasal-sounding synth exhales before bright notes flicker and shine with burnished light above the low end’s continual throbbing.

A glimmering synth carries the melody, wafting me along above the low end. Slowly and tangling, mournful notes continue to hover as the arpeggios swirl with lightly touching feelings. The drums and bass continue their heartbeat as the brilliant synth adds an element of uplift to the softness around it.

The cleanly cutting notes continue to leap through as the drums pulsate heavily. The massive bass continues to drive as the intermingling, thoughtful notes are divided by the glistening melodic pattern and the arpeggios are unstoppable. As the track ends, the notes fade into smooth silence.

“The Place I Belong (Night Ride Edit)” opens with bass that rumbles heavily as floating notes slip like spectral mists. The intimidating bass pulse is thick as cosmic notes unfurl above it. Tightly shining synth levitates before the drums smack in and the giant bass oscillates, while portentous, slicing synth pulses add angular strength.

Smoothly interlocking, burnished synth floats past with a more peaceful sensation to contrast with the heaving weight beneath. A string-like synth carries a mournful melodic line as hollow bells ring and the bass rises like a dangerous tide.

Glittering notes intermingle and the track shifts. The bass becomes an urgent pulsation as the synth moves like a sweeping wind. The drums add a ticking, metronomic beat as the radiant synth drifts with a roaming melody, evoking a nighttime journey down an empty highway.

The drums are the passing yellow lines and the melody tells me a story of a lonely journey to self-discovery. I am moved by the emotional nature of the melody as the colossal bass throbs. The low end fiercely drives on as the lacerating synth moves past and the track ends with crushing weight.

Clear, penetrating light radiates from the lead synth as a distantly shaping beat comes in to kick off “Cruise Waves.” In the background, synth rises like an orange sun and adds flaring notes that glint like dappled water as the solid drums and bass pulsate. As the bass becomes massive, lightly glittering synth exudes gentle light with a hint of brief shadow for a moment. The bass continues to undulate as the gossamer synth drifts with oceanic grace.

Intensely radiant sounds glitter as the gigantic low end takes form. I am enamored of the way in which this track reflects aquatic peace and a tinge of more contemplative feeling as it unfolds. The bass rumbles while smoothly interlocking synth slips like waves under the hull of a sailboat. I picture slipping through the water with the soft sounds of wind and the rigging, the white yacht cutting through the water. The bass moves like upwelling currents and the smoothly gliding melody fades into silence.

“Lost in Dreams” begins as giant bass slowly pulses while a vastly sweeping synth drifts in laid-back motion. Metallic sounds flash past and the drums form a chilled-out beat above the huge low end. Bright notes slip past with easy grace as the drums rebound. Gleaming sounds extend in long lines, unfurling with smooth delicacy above the pounding drums.

The bass is lush and heavy as a laser-like sound briefly flits past. Colossal chords rise with sunlight as an open-sounding synth breezes past and the drums fade. The way in which the song evokes the sense of ethereal emotion in a dream state calls to me and gives me a sense of satisfaction and calm.

There’s a crescendo as the thunderous drums move beneath the gossamer glide of the elevated synth and the bass becomes a dense well. Angular notes jump with radiance as they slice into the music and the swirling background intermingles with the hugely pulsating bass. Tranquility permeates the music as more intensely radiant notes tremble and the laser-like sound is joined by thumping drums.

Metallic ringing floats past as the unstoppable drum and bass pulse moves on and the background remains misty and peaceful. A bright sound pierces the synth clouds and silence falls.

Broadly drifting, brilliant synth cascades in luscious motion to start off “You Are Not Alone.” A pervasive sense of tranquility is joined by bass that rises in dense clouds, as sharp-edged notes cut through. The combination of massive power and gentleness is one that I find deeply pleasing.

The drums smack with a granite solidity as the bass undulates and tender sounds float past. A feeling of serenity fills the melody as it slips easily by, moving in misty tendrils guided by the drumbeat and thick bass.

Revolving arpeggios spill out effulgent light as a pulsing note pattern twirls around itself and the bass becomes a physical force beneath it. The fiercely bright notes that cascade bring a feeling of crystalline uplift to the music, as the interlocking synth and heavy bass fill the background.

A delicate melodic line shines out and lends another element of positivity to the track. All of the synth layers combine to create huge power and auditory fascination. Calm and drama coexist well on this track.

The drums and bass form the pounding heartbeat once again as the synth rolls over itself, tidal and tranquil, before the track comes to an end.

Conclusion

Another World is an album full of superb synth combinations, exquisite melodic moments and an atmosphere that drenches everything in Cyberwalker’s unique sound. If there were ever an album that could transport me to a new place, I think this one would be it.

LukHash - Home Arcade

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

LukHash’s Home Arcade transports listeners on a journey through chiptune-influenced synth music, conjuring up late nights of 8-bit gaming and the thrill of adventuring in a computerized realm. LukHash skillfully combines his chiptune background with a wide variety of other synthesized elements to paint strong mental images. Added to that, he has a real facility for writing melodies and layering music in a way that's compelling and entertaining.

One of the standout features of Home Arcade is the way in which LukHash weaves together all of the different elements of his sonic palette. Of course, the chiptune elements are prominent, mingling different sounds from classic computer systems with their unmistakable clean attack. But there are also unique synth sounds that weave together and draw the listener on an exciting ride through a computerized realm.

As far as melodies are concerned, Home Arcade is rich with LukHash’s talent for crafting them. Each melody is full of deep engagement and powerful imagery. He is able to elicit a wide range of emotional responses with each melody, sometimes varying the mood within a single track. As a result, each melodic moment is full of feeling and depth as the album unfolds and we travel along with it.

Another excellent feature of Home Arcade is the way in which all of the different musical elements come together to create a luscious whole. Every different aspect brings a freshness and creativity to the entire package which is hard to ignore. There’s a cohesiveness to the way in which the sounds come together, while still allowing for diversity and aural interest as the tracks unfold.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Carrier Wave” Starts with monumental bass descending as warmly trembling notes slowly plane out with a computerized sound. Nostalgia soaks the digitized sounds as they levitate above the deep bass well and glide smoothly past me. This opening enchants me as it pulls me into the music before fading.

Broadly bouncing 8-bit notes flicker back and forth along with rebounding percussion to commence “Bootloader.” The bass is vast and dances dynamically while the computerized pulses continue to flash. A dramatically jumping synth with a taut quality carries an energetic melodic line before a smoothly slipping synth calls out, carrying a majestic melody, full of power.

8-bit notes volley back and forth while a quickly flitting synth carries a motivational melody. Digitized notes add nobility, imbuing me with adventurous feelings. The low end continues to hit hard as the beaming synth calls out. As the surging digital notes drive on, twisting slightly, the bass batters. Rumbling notes move and the ominous flare of synth fades to silence.

“199X” begins as a fiercely radiant synth moves with a ferociously attacking bassline. The bass is raging and incredibly powerful as the popping, echoing synth rings out in mad lines. The main melody kicks in with a shining explosion, erupting with unstoppable strength. Strangely serpentine sounds ring out along with the angrily throbbing drums and gigantic bass.

Slipping sounds wriggle past with wild exuberance before the main melody echoes out again, leaping with unrelenting motion, carrying me along with its sense of freedom. The melody continues to erupt as brilliantly glittering synth flicks through and the low end roils. Open-sounding, echoing synth hypnotically pulsates and the drums and bass thunder fiercely. The track ends abruptly.

A driving, pulsing bassline slices with razor edges to kick off “Magnetique.” As the dense bass undulates, brightly bursting synth cuts in swirling lines and the drums pound. The thin-sounding, digitally slicing notes move in a melody that is insistent and energizing, while worshipful sounds float in the distance. Drums flourish as a brassy synth calls out with a darkly dramatic melody and the nasal-sounding, sharp-edged synth continues to whirl.

A choral synth calls out in the distance. I enjoy the intense strength and trance-inducing melodic pattern as the 8-bit notes cry out with a piping quality, full of adventure and ancient power, carrying me along with them. The melody reminds me of the great video game melodies from the past as it unfolds with triumphant life before the track ends.

Easily trickling, computerized notes tumble as a steady, repeating creak moves in the background to start “CopyParty Memories.” Now the drums and bass move along with luminous chords that swell behind the digitally bouncing notes which cavort wildly The 8-bit melody echoes with excitement and new horizons. Solid bass descends as piano notes resonate with strength and uplifting zeal.

The drums explode as sparkling notes swirl through the music and the bright, digital-sounding notes wander crazily. The main melody grabs hold of me and carries me along with dynamism and encouragement, evoking sensations of youthful joy. As the drums continue to pound, ragged bass snarls and the thrilling synth fades into extended piano notes and rumbling depths.

“Chiptune Ride” swells into life with a powerfully rising sound. The snare drum bursts into a funky beat as the bass pulsates and a sharply tripping synth skips through the music. The low end rides a groove as the orchestra hits flash and a silky synth carries smoothly glowing chords. The computerized notes bop, full of lively '80s vibes and joy.

As the low end slams hard, dazzling chords interlock and a flat-sounding pulse tumbles. The drums flourish again and the earworm of a tune wriggles and shimmies, filling me with childlike enjoyment. Ticking percussion moves as the slightly muffled chords flicker and filmy notes float.

The 8-bit melody flicks again with unstoppable, youthful pleasure as the digital arpeggios in the background leap. The low end pounds on as the funky bass surfs and the song fades into silence with orchestra hits.

Hovering sounds slowly move along with what sounds like a printer to commence “Dream Off.” A quickly rippling drum and bass beat trips past as the rounded, computerized-sounding melody dances. Elements of celebration and uplift fill the melody as zipping synth noises intermingle in the distance and the stuttering drum and bass pattern adds shape.

The main melody takes hold of me and flings me out into space, erupting with hopeful life above the unrelenting low end. Active bass moves in shivering lines as the drums pop with hard edges. The lead’s chippy sound gives it clarity as it flies through the music, trailing dynamic power.

The drums and bass continue to cruise smoothly as the music unfolds. The 8-bit melody is clean and cutting, bumping through the music with animating fire. The surging bass continues to drive the music as the snare drums snap and the track comes to an end.

“Fading” opens as smoothly spinning arpeggios permeate the music with tenderness, while a clock-like ticking fills the percussion. Bass moves in deep pulses and the militaristic drums batter above the unending arpeggios. The bass rises as a slicing synth moves in the distance and the glowing notes around it wrap everything in warmth.

The synth has a violin-like quality, crying out with resonance and affecting feelings. The huge drums rebound as the arpeggios ripple and the bass swells thickly. Now there’s a crescendo and the classically inspired melody calls out with yearning and reverberant, touching emotion. I am pulled inward by this beautifully composed melody that fades quietly away.

“SIDStorm” begins as a ferocious bass onslaught mingles with explosive chip sounds that leap into the track. The chip notes rush forward with aggression and a harsh digital sound.

Digital-sounding notes undulate and dance while the low end hits with impressive force. The chip notes have a cutting feeling as warmer chords flow up around them. The percussion has power as it drives on while the chip notes arpeggiate and the background adds illumination.

Now a lucid synth bends, carrying a melody that has a certain magnificence to it. The bass exerts overwhelming force before it drops out briefly. The bass returns with punching drums as the glowing, nasal-sounding synth carries a noble melody. I enjoy the intense strength that this music radiates as it unfolds.

Gruff, computerized pulses shifting rapidly as a twirling 8-bit arpeggio rushes through the music in a quick flow to start “Raster Bar.” The drums are clean and punch hard as the 8-bit melody cries out with hopeful spirit and an uplifting, joyful feeling while the gruff noises in the distance continue to slice through.

Arpeggios tremble in rapid motion while caressing notes in the background add depth. The lead melody cries out again, filling the music with positive vibes and energetic life. I am drawn to the heroic and dreamy quality of the melody as it unfolds.

Grandeur pours from the melody before a secondary melodic segment twirls through, feeling quite “Castlevania”-like in its darkly dancing minor key qualities. Meanwhile, the rebounding drums and bass add weight. The first melody soars out again, flying and full of victorious life before the track comes to an end.

“Power Up” starts with an industrially churning beat and weirdly wandering, digital-sounding synth. A nasal-sounding note pattern vibrates above the tumbling drum and bass propulsion, as echoing, xylophone-like noises leap with dynamic power.

The main melody is full of encouragement and indomitable strength as the classic computerized arpeggios pulse. The tightly wound synth carrying the main melody bounces out with motion and life above the stuttering low end. As the xylophone taps brightly, the unrelenting drum and bass motion shutters below.

The melody is triumphant while the thrilling arpeggios spin with radiance. I find the main melody compelling as it adds victorious feelings before gently caressing sounds move and fade into silence.

Conclusion

Home Arcade is a thrilling and ear-pleasing adventure that moves through digital landscapes and synthesized sound paintings as LukHash carries us along. I've been a longtime follower of his work and this is another superb installment in a series of well-done albums and singles.

L’Avenue - Tokyo Nights

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

L’Avenue’s Tokyo Nights is a sonically stunning, beautifully produced series of gorgeous soundscapes that transport me on a journey to a neon-lit, futuristic Japan. The way in which L’Avenue combines his calming, richly layered sonic palette with soundscapes that unfold with depth and tranquility—and melodies that are heart-touching—creates an end product that is pure ear candy. Adding to that ear candy, L’Avenue’s guests bring their own personal touches to the music. I am lifted and carried away by the music as it washes around me and flows with elegant strength.

At the heart of Tokyo Nights, there is tremendous musical depth. L’Avenue incorporates a series of traditional Japanese instrument sounds along with his usual lush synth choices to unfold an intricate tapestry that is full of reflected city light and ancient temple complexes. Like a Zen garden, each element of the album is carefully chosen and placed to create a most pleasing and thought-provoking experience. On top of these factors, L’Avenue’s melodies are emotive and affecting, engaging my feelings intensely.

Another reason for my enjoyment of Tokyo Nights is the serenity and caressing nature of the atmosphere that L’Avenue creates. Sounds move with velvety grace and auditory depth, flowing out with smooth easiness. As the tide of sound moves around me, it washes away my daily concerns and brings me into a place of peaceful contemplation. This is music that is never dull but is able to put me in a place where I can be soothed and taken away from everyday life.

I’d also like to mention Josh Paulino and Elise Devane’s vocal performances on the album. Each singer contributes their own superb vocal sounds to enrich the entire experience. The added level of expression that the vocals bring makes for music that I can sink into, fully immersed in the stunning sounds that fill the album.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Shibuya Sunrise (Intro)” starts with a steadily resounding bell and a hollow-sounding synth that moves as smooth notes float and rumbling bass underpins everything. Ethereal sounds wander as the panpipe-like synth trickles with open-voiced peace and string-like notes echo. A chiming synth glows with lush, broadly slipping light as the bass forms a dense, unctuous weight. The chiming notes ring out as metallic sounds flicker and I am put into a soothing frame of mind.

A glistening synth moves with feathery lightness while the drums and bass create a smooth heartbeat and a twinkling sound descends to begin "Tokyo Nights". The luscious drums collide and fragile chimes glimmer with distant luminosity. Now the chimes support a melody which calls out in a caressing line as Josh Paulino’s delicately surrounding vocals slip past. The melody is full of wanting and pain, with longing permeating Josh Paulino’s voice.

A hollow synth floats with spacey delicacy as the drums and bass shape the music. Josh Paulino’s vocals have a tentative, airy quality which pulls on my heart while the evenly pulsing, shining synth moves. Xylophone-like notes add a woodsy sound. A sax cuts loose with softly affecting emotion pouring from it, while Josh Paulino’s voice moves smoothly.

The drums are a heartbeat as the bass flows and a medium-high, round-sounding synth carries a misty melody. A gong-like sound rings and the synth chords intertwine. Josh Paulino captures melancholy and need with gossamer tenderness above the lucent chimes and throbbing drums before the track ends.

The storyteller starts off saying, "I wake up to the sun, recalling two were one," and adds that he can't shake the thought of losing the song's subject. "Tokyo nights, neon lights are the only thing that can save me now." He explains that in Tokyo, he broke things off with the subject "in the falling snow," and wonders where the other person went after that.

He describes how "pools of light reflect this shell" and his empty heart, as he hears "a temple bell ringing out into the night." He compares himself to "a child who's lost inside his world," trying to press rewind in hopes of seeing the subject’s face again "through the fragments of my mind."

As the song ends, the storyteller says, "In Tokyo, a cold wind blows. I have to know: where did you go?”

“Arcade Heaven” starts as quickly flourishing, computerized sounds move with lightly touching percussion and a smoothly cascading synth that radiates indigo light. The bass is thick as it moves along with softly wrapping chords that glide easily, while the flashing melody sparkles with easy-going light, transmitting sensations of joy.

Pan pipes exhale with energizing warmth and flickering notes sparkle effortlessly. The glassy panpipes slip past with serene ease as digital sounds spark and twitch. The drums are strong and even as shimmering chimes call out and a shakuhachi breathes with ancient elegance. A silken synth carries a transporting melody that floats me away on imagination’s wings.

The panpipes dance as chiming notes contribute sunny luminosity and the low end continues to throb with guiding smoothness. The pan pipes flicker again as airy sounds fill the music and the percussion cascades along with 8-bit sounds before the track concludes.

A gigantic synth shines brilliantly and fragile chimes ring above dark bass. to open “Never Die”. An echoing female voice drifts past, far away, as the lusciously deep chimes ring. A widely wandering synth tone moves beneath the dreamily drifting notes that carry a melody deep with loss and introspection. Echoing vocals move with heavy bass and the drums burst in.

A loon’s cry echoes as the softly shaping drums move along with the undulating bass. The lead synth is full and unctuous, floating out with a melody that feels disconnected and feathery. As the drums and bass throb, fragile sounds shiver and the voiceover hovers above the silky synth.

The Japanese voiceover feels distant and haunting as the quickly twirling synth adds texture. Chimes flicker and the lonely sounds trickle. The voiceover adds a hint of human connection while the glimmering notes surge. Air sweeps and the drums flourish, the broad chimes full of wonderfully touching feelings while the low end pulses.

Layer upon layer of synth intertwines to create an intriguing background as the drums hit hard now and the bass pushes. Muscle fills the music as stuttering notes move and huge drums pound. Ominous threat now permeates the music as the metallic notes glow with fierce light. As the track ends, the female voice continues to move along with bright glockenspiel notes which radiate through the music.

“Suki” starts as an evocative jazz organ rings out, setting a stage for peaceful relaxation. Lush bass flows like a slow river as the timing notes flicker with full-sounding grace. The drums and bass have a lackadaisical heartbeat while the rapidly slipping notes flash past. All of the open space and comfortable sensations within the track allow me to release tension and slip into pure calm.

The subtle synth carries a melody full of tenderness and a shakuhachi exhales while bells ring, balanced with the solid percussion. The chiming jazz organ is joined by a synthesized trumpet, cruising through the music with refined elegance as rushing, vibrating noises pass by. The percussion is a rebounding motion below the flickering, meditative notes. A xylophone adds a metallic, hypnotic pattern as the shakuhachi floats with breathiness and bells call out.

The main melody floats past like a summer breeze while the xylophone vibrates. All of the musical elements conspire to create tranquility, while the steady metallic sounds contrast with the exhalations pouring from the synth before the track comes to an end.

Ghostly notes float above the colossal bass to open “Flashback.” The bass moves in slow pulses as drums flit quickly and an illuminating synth carries out in a wandering pattern. Skipping percussion taps as the full-sounding synth roams with breathy ease. A reverberant, medium-low synth slides with meditative relaxation as tensely wound arpeggios spin. The bass adds a shadowy element while chimes twinkle in short bursts.

The drums throb as bells flash and a breeze blows through. The drums and bass add luscious strength while the metallic sounds scintillate. A sense of thoughtful gentleness permeates the track, leading me to contemplative moments. A broadly trumpeting synth sings the lightly touching melody, reaching out hopefully as it unfurls.

The low end pulsates before the bass fades and gossamer sounds float. The bass hits solidly again as the drums add shape, while effulgent sounds drift by. The drum is a heartbeat as the bass glides and arpeggios twirl and bubble before the track ends.

“Touch” begins as a tranquilly flowing synth moves with quickly bursting drums and lusciously bright notes. Elise Devane’s voice slips in with tenderness and wistful emotion, carrying a gently dreamy melody. The drums act as a shaping force as the twinkling synth shivers with exquisite expression.

The drums flourish as Elise Devane’s breathy, affecting vocals exhale with the touching melody. The drums continue to throb as a warm synth breeze slips past. The burnished shine of the rounded notes suffuses the music with softness and Elise Devane’s vocals reach out, capturing me and drawing me in with their affection and need, while the background shines with cerulean light. The chorus glides past, overlapping sounds wrapping me in a cloudy blanket.

Alex Bone lets loose with a soulful sax solo, capturing the same yearning and need as the vocals. The sax is full of reedy expression, jazzily filling the music with emotion. Now, the synth exudes loving luminosity as the sax cries out, delivering a heartfelt melody. The drums continue to push on and the song fades into silence.

As she is "lost in the echoes of what we used to be," she's haunted by shadows and whispers in all of her dreams. The narrator says that "as the night draws in and the city sleeps," she sees a shadow of the song’s subject as she walks down empty streets. She adds that "as the dusk light fades across the borderline," an empty space remains "like a photograph left behind."

Our storyteller says that she wants, needs and misses the song subject’s touch. She says that she has to have that touch but has somehow managed to lose it. She talks about "reflections in the rain," as a streetlight glows and she can hear the other person's voice, "just an echo, fading slow."

As the song concludes, the narrator says that "as these moments fade, I feel lost and out of time," and she wonders where the song's subject is "beneath this black skyline."

As the rain pours down, rumbling bass flows out to begin “Heart of Rain.” The bass has an undeniable presence as Japanese chanting rings above the rainfall. Chimes sparkle like rain in starlight before slowly oscillating chords move above the dense bass and ticking drums. Brassy sounds move across the stereo channels while the drums and bass lock into a heartbeat. Xylophone notes add metallic tenderness while the intermingling, satiny synth floats.

A sweeping synth carries the affectionately touching melody, running over me like soothing hands. The massive bass collides as vocal sounds exhale and a whale vocalization shifts. Chimes exude brilliant light as the drums and bass throb. The xylophone shines while a pellucid synth floats, creating thoughtful relaxation.

Fluting sounds breathe out, full of calming sensations. The drums drop away as the bass growls softly and chimes glimmer. A piano moves with aching lightness, the notes rushing as fluting sounds help evoke a rainy night. The xylophone glitters while the low end drives on. The metallic sounds are soothing and a whale calls again as exhaling voices pass by before the track ends.

“Kyoto Sunset” opens as a silky synth moves in billowing drifts. Metallic bells echo deeply as the dense bass rises up like an ocean current and reverently hovering notes slip outward. Images of a city drenched in orange glow and lit by a thousand neon lights fill the music and draw me in.

Breathy sounds sweep as chimes flash and a shakuhachi adds its own sonic quality. The drums now break in as a vocal sound echoes and the shakuhachi breathes out. A sax drifts with a mournfully emotive melody as wordless vocals shift. The drums pulse as the sax moves, permeated by loneliness.

A jazz organ slips past with a thoughtful melody, tinged with mournful feelings. The huge drums throb as flickering chimes gently call out. I am drawn to the peace which fills the music, the sax crying out with loss. Chimes glow again while the drums and bass rebound. The distant vocals breathe out and metallic notes shine before the track comes to an end.

Conclusion

Tokyo Nights improves on the previous projects that L’Avenue has created. This is the culmination of his special sound—extremely well produced and full of layered beauty. The way in which he has woven Japanese elements throughout the music adds a fascinating quality to the whole project. This is one of my favourite albums of the year thus far.