Midsummer Ex - Fake It Till You Make It

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Midsummer Ex’s Fake It Till You Make It combines dynamic energy, emotional complexity and melodic joy as it unfolds. A surge of '80s sounds mingles with the artist’s songwriting abilities and intricately interwoven synth layers to produce an album that roams across broad territory and creates engaging, entertaining music.

One of the standout features of Fake It Till You Make It for me is the sheer liveliness it exudes. In between the well-chosen synths, active percussion and dance floor energy, the music is a hell of a lot of fun to listen to and complements the poppy feelings it radiates. I really enjoy the '80s sounds as they unfold here.

Another strong element of Fake It Till You Make It for me is Midsummer Ex’s songwriting. He moves from fairly light-hearted pieces to music that is much more deep and emotive, exploring more serious themes. Whatever mode he's in, Midsummer Ex is able to draw me in and fill me with sensation as his songs unfold. I'm enamored with the journey he takes me on throughout the album.

The way in which the various synth sounds are combined also creates lush depth. Each intertwining sound complements the others and as they come together, they create sonic beauty and interest. As the synths interweave, they carry the well-composed melodies that fill this album. Midsummer Ex has a knack for emotionally powerful, easily hummable melodic lines that I find intensely ear-pleasing.

My Favourite Songs Analyzed

“Hollywood Star” begins with the sound of clicking cameras before cascading synth brings a melancholy quality and shining notes gleam. The sound of a radio tuning jumps into a hard-driving low-end pulse with drums and bass locked into propulsive motion.

A circling arpeggio glistens as Midsummer Ex’s delicate, heartfelt vocals glide with the dreamy melody and the low end pushes forward. The singer captures the strange desire in the vocals above the broken low-end pulse. Broadly moving drums move with the resonant vocals, carrying the passion within the words.

The drums are huge and add strength as gliding notes unfurl with indigo light. They move in uneven lines as the vocals slip past continuing to press on with dynamic bass as Midsummer Ex draws me in with his deeply felt performance. The vocal melody is fragile and warm, contrasting with the unsettling feeling in the words.

Drums continue to explode as swirling notes intermingle and clapping percussion adds shape. As the chorus reaches out, Midsummer Ex's enfolding voice carries the mournful and lightly caressing melody. Glowing notes wash through the music as the colossal bass intermingles. As the song comes to an end, the mixture of shadow and twisted affection fades into silence.

The narrator talks about watching the object of his obsession wake up and drink tea, taking their morning pills as he adds, "Life is hard in Beverly Hills." The nature of his dark attraction to the song's subject is clear as he says, "I'm watching you into the night time. When you drive, I follow your car," adding that he always knows where they are. The narrative takes an even darker turn as the narrator says, "One day you'll disappear, no more pain and no more fear, lost in the final frontier."

Our storyteller describes feeling as if he's been "touched by your sunshine," while calling the object of his obsession his "wonder love." He adds that making people believe in the song's subject is a "state of art," pointing out that the other person is his Hollywood star. He encourages them to "fake it till you make it" and take their evening pills, which is "the only way to get your thrills.” He talks about the song's subject "swinging from the chandelier, waiting for the final tear,” as they lose another year.

As the song concludes, the narrator describes the song's subject standing on the shoreline, "so cold in the dark." Chillingly, after calling them his wonder love again, he says, "They will never find you, the one final spark," as he declares that the other person was a Hollywood star "born to fall apart."

A distantly flashing synth cascades in twirling motion as a digitally crying melodic pattern moves above seething bass as “Be Here Now (jacket. Remix)” opens. A suspenseful feeling fills the synth as Midsummer Ex’s softly drifting vocals carry a soothing melody above a punchy kick drum.

Mournful emotion fills the vocals, transmitting the feeling of the lyrics with clarity and sensitivity. A glistening synth floats with uplifting joy as the drums add power and Midsummer Ex grabs hold of the song's meaning and sends it home.

The drums are colossal as a brilliant synth irradiates the music with luminosity. Distantly chiming notes float as Midsummer Ex cries out again, mingling emotion with his fresh voice. A windy sweep joins hard-hitting drums as brightness suffuses the music.

The chorus flies out again, adding a positive element while glimmering notes intertwine. The drums rebound in uneven motion as sparkling notes spin and the bass rumbles. The vocalist takes me along with him as he expresses himself. Crystalline notes in the distance join rising sonic clouds as the drums drive. Chimes shimmer and trumpeting notes flare before the song comes to an end.

Our storyteller talks about a "dream that is shining on the horizon," as a mixtape he made for the song's subject keeps playing. He adds, "I can't see with the lights in my eyes, you been crying," as he observes that the other person keeps on driving like they always do.

The narrator speaks of riding into the "dusky moonlight" as they "speed up the holy midnight on our way." He talks about an ever-ending summer and says, "So what if we're pretending," because he'll always stay.

"There's no time, there's no end to these summer night feelings, my friend," is what the storyteller tells the song’s subject. He adds, "This is how—be here now." He speaks about the two of them in the car that the song’s subject won. As “Winds of Change” by Scorpions plays, there are "nostalgic echoes from a long time ago."

He concludes, "Don’t be nervous. Once you have been found, you’re never alone."

“Always 1985” begins as serene synth slips in with gossamer lightness. The drums start to throb with a powerful beat as the bass drives forward and Midsummer Ex’s rich voice carries the dreaming melody. The drums and bass press on as the smooth, touching vocals glide with deep sensations, while a bell-like synth gleams above.

The nostalgic wistfulness of the music draws me in and carries me along, full of wonderful emotion. The drums and bass continue to pulsate as the sparkling synth pours into the music. The vocals have a diaphanous delicacy that reaches out to carry the emotion of the lyrics.

The steady rhythm pushes forward while the soothing melody floats. An accent of warm notes rings out as Midsummer Ex transmits the sense of remembrance in the song. The beat has a classic '80s sound, fitting perfectly with the overall atmosphere. The melody then calls out on a glittering synth, radiating uplift and misty memory before the track ends with a guitar strum and the sound of a disconnected phone number.

The narrator speaks about the fear we have—that we all need to stand alone—as he tells the song’s subject that he needs them, that he won't make it on his own. He points out that “for all the years now, the grass has overgrown,” as they were always waiting for something to occur. He asks the other person to “come over here so I can see you again.”

Reminiscence fills our storyteller as he talks about the way they drove into the sunset, “a magic feeling we will never forget.” He points out that, for whatever it was worth, it was the best time of his life. He recalls them taking a chance and dancing “in the street lights” as they made their way out of their haunted town. He continues, “deep in my heart it's always 1985.”

The narrator talks about melodies that take him down memory lane as he concludes: “Now I know things will never be the same. Bittersweet, all good things must come to an end.”

Immense bass throbs and medium-high synth flashes out in embracing chords to open “Missing You”. Delicate notes sparkle and smoothly shining synth repeats a melodic pattern. Midsummer Ex’s uplifting voice carries an reassuring melody out over huge retro drums and undulating bass.

Midsummer Ex’s gentle voice is hopeful as a distantly glowingsynth trickles above propulsive drums and oscillating bass. Medium-high, glistening synth dances through and the upbeat vocal melody is carried on the vocals’ caressing warmth.

Heavy drums drive on and the gliding synth pattern repeats. The tremulous, tender vocal melody moves through as drums drop away and gigantic bass throbs to a conclusion along with a flitting arpeggio.

Our storyteller talks to the song’s subject about how the “mind can pull through” when they feel depressed and bereft. He reminds the other person to try and find their inner strength and then “you know it will be alright.” He adds that the other person’s got to “live and learn” to perceive it and a great deal of strength to heal. The need for healing is like oxygen “but it’s gonna be alright tonight.”

The narrator points out that the other person has to find the light and keep fighting. He says that everyone has to try and spread “a little love and sunshine” in life or we’ll see our dreams fade away. There’s a strong image of loss as the narrator says that “I'll be missing you like the shadows in the night” when the other person is gone.

The other person feels “abused and lonely” according to the storyteller. He adds that “we are losing you so slowly” and asks what the other person’s testimony will be. Our storyteller isn’t sure if they’ll both be okay.

He talks about sitting in Stockholm, browsing and looking at gravestones. He still feels that all will be well in the end. As the song ends, he talks about how “echoes travel very far” to the other person’s guitar being strummed. He concludes that, “I'll be listening when you’re gone.”

“Stuck on Repeat” starts with crackling static as a clock ticks and dramatic strings call out with sweeping emotion. The low end pulses with a dancy rhythm as Midsummer Ex’s softly emotive voice carries the aching melody with tremulous feeling. The low end continues to punch as the strings shine with luminosity, while distant trumpeting notes climb and add radiant life.

Gigantic drums now erupt with even more dynamism as the synth entangles with scintillating positivity. The depth of feeling Midsummer Ex captures pushes deep into my heart with affecting sensations, while the ticking clock and massive kick drum pulse underneath. The chorus shines with longing, as the low end is accented by gleaming synth notes frolicking above it. As the song ends, chimes ring out alongside the huge drums.

The narrator says that both he and the song's subject realize summer is almost at an end and that "we don't have the autumn, winter and spring." He urges them to understand that time is getting shorter and "we are longing in an endless dream."

Both characters face "the same good old pain, the same old refrain," as the storyteller points out that it's the same game all over again. He adds they are "stuck on repeat," because things never seem to reach an ending or feel complete.

The narrator and the song's subject both wanted freedom as they were "starting over again this midsummer eve." He speaks of the flowers beneath the subject's pillow, which will be frozen "as winter breaks and bends." He concludes with a poignant line: "Countless hours sleep, you little willow, all the frostbites will one day fade away."

Solid drums throb while glinting chimes carry a hurting melody to commence “I Never Saw It Coming”. The drums continue to pulse as the rich low end chords move with the twinkling higher notes. Midsummer Ex’s voice carries a contemplative ache as the drums throb and the chiming notes sparkle.

Midsummer Ex takes hold of my emotions with his warming voice and sense of longing. The vocals slip past as the gleaming notes flare with luminous tenderness. A sense of time passing quickly is reflected in the vocals as the drum and bass pulse continues. As the chimes flicker, the rebounding low end presses onward. Serene synth carries the melody, which wistfully wonders as the snare drums throb and the bass flows. As the song ends, Midsummer Ex's voice is fragile and lost.

The teller of this tale has been awake for a while, trapped in indecision. He has the world in his hands if he chooses to, but he is "lost in my mind." He talks about having "all this precious time" in which he knows what to do if he wants it. He explains that what he wants—and what he can't resist—is "holding on to that kiss."

Our narrator didn't see the relationship coming. It came without warning and he adds, "there's so much I want to say, but the time’s slipping away." He points out that the other person is never going to hear him calling. He's "been up all night" because he can't hide the romance they're in, as he asks, "is it still true?"

Now the storyteller says that they've been "in the dirt" and in the sky and he goes on to say, "if you want to be found, then I'll find you." He concludes that the other person will never see him falling or crawling.

“Digital World” starts as the kick drum thumps and a minor key synth washes with dramatic tension. The low end pumps with dancefloor-filling dynamism as synth whorls intermingle with indigo light. The low end has a smooth swing to it as Midsummer Ex embodies the disconnected sensations within the lyrics. The synth spills out radiance as it moves with the throbbing low end.

As the synth winds out with gentle smoothness, the low end continues to press on. The vocals are tinged with a sense of emptiness and regret for an unbridgeable gap. Trumpeting notes brim with sunlight as Midsummer Ex touches me with his vocal expression. Shining notes spill out and intermingle as the low end continues to throb. Arpeggios twirl as shimmering notes wash through the music, while the drums and bass continue to pulse. The low end has a groovy feeling as the string-like synth flashes out. As the song comes to an end, Midsummer Ex carries the floating melody to a close with his calming voice.

The narrator talks about feeling love so strong that it "carries on like a drum" in the night. He says you can dance until the morning light as the beat goes "on and on and on." He continues by saying, "you're a digital boy, oh so electronical," and "an analog girl, so lonely in the digital world."

Our storyteller says the situation is happening so rapidly and "the beat goes on when all is said and done,” but their connection was never made to last because it's "too cynical, not physical enough."

Smoothly flowing synth carries a melody full of regretful nostalgia to begin “One More Light.” As the touching melody moves, Midsummer Ex's painfully aware voice carries the caressing vocal line. The drums are powerful and deep as the aching vocals float past. The drums continue to drive as tranquil synth shines and Midsummer Ex pierces my heart with the depth of loss in his voice.

The low end bursts continuously as a glimmering synth traces through the music and the vocals are hurting while the interlocking synth spills out tenderness. The drum beat is shaping while the synth fills the music with an enfolding embrace. Now the bass trips heavily as ethereal notes float airily into the distance. The drums pound again and Midsummer Ex imbues his voice with reminiscence and remorse as the drums fall silent.

Our storyteller castigates himself as he says he should have stayed and wonders if there were signs you'd ignored. He asks, *“Can I help you not to hurt anymore?”* He recalls that together they “solved brilliance when the world was asleep,” and points out that there are things we’re able to have but we can’t keep.

The narrator reflects that if people say, *“Who cares if one more light goes out in the sky of a million stars,”* or ask who cares when a person's time runs out, *“if a moment is all we are,”* his simple answer is that *he* does.

When someone is gone from our lives, the storyteller says that “the reminders pull the floor from your feet,” and there's an empty chair in the kitchen that you no longer need. He goes on to say, *“You’re angry and you should be. It’s not fair.”* He reminds us that just because you can’t see something, it doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

“747” begins with a rather portentous-sounding, heavily throbbing bass and delicately swirling synth that grows in power. As the vocals glide in, they are even more tender than Kent’s original, with a tremulous feeling of a tenuous grip. The drums continue to undulate as the vocals shiver with pained emotion. Rather than the resonating xylophone of the original, the cover uses tentatively sparkling chimes.

The drums kick in with an undeniably active beat above the low end. I enjoy the way Midsummer Ex puts his own unique sound into the heart-rending vocals. Chimes shimmer with crystalline light as the low end continues to throb and the vocals carry the yearning melody. The melancholy within Midsummer Ex's voice is touching as the continually twirling synth flickers.

Longing pours from the vocal performance as the drums punch and the hovering synth exudes gem-like light, while widely cutting notes blare and the sound of an airplane announcement to fasten your seatbelt comes in. The drums continue to pulsate and again Midsummer Ex cries out with an engaging feeling while the chimes flare and the track fades into silence.

The song explores the tension between quiet despair and violent release, using the metaphor of "silence like a whisper" to convey emotional detachment. The narrator reflects on pain inflicted by someone close as he says “it won’t hurt when the killing’s done by a friend.”

He expresses a desire for escape, underscored by urgency and finality: “we ran out of time, leaving all behind.” A haunting contrast between numbness and intensity, culminates in a yearning for liberation through suffering as he says, “maybe this time it will bleed until I’m free.”

Conclusion

Fake It Till You Make It engages my heart and soul along with my sense of groove and rhythm. The way in which Midsummer Ex combines synthwave, synth pop and fascinating auditory textures with seriously infectious beats results in music which is massively enjoyable. The addition of emotional depth only makes for an even better listening experience.

The Gliding Faces - Veritas

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

The Gliding Faces’ Veritas combines Daniel Graham’s intoxicating electronic soundscapes, Max Herring’s powerful songwriting which roams across complicated emotional landscapes and his superb vocal performances to create synth-pop music with a dance edge and a rare level of insight and moving feeling. This is an album that makes me want to shake my booty while crying. In my world, that's an unbeatable combination.

Daniel Graham's production skills and ear for creating fascinating, entertaining synth textures lends Veritas dynamic energy and luscious depth. His sound combinations are first-rate and the melodies he writes are hooky and addictive. The way he propels the music while giving Max Herring space to emote and express himself adds even more quality to the album.

I am strongly engaged by Max Herring's songwriting chops and vocal skills. His songs explore anxiety, love, broken-heartedness and memory with sensitivity and tenderness. I find myself engaging with my own past feelings as the album unwinds. The way he's able to translate his lyrics into expressive vocal performances brings them home with immediacy.

The way Veritas mixes powerful feelings with danceability and bursting dynamism is quite enjoyable for me. I find myself being pulled in by Max Herring's songwriting and singing while Daniel Graham suffuses me with active liveliness and a sense of musical inventiveness.

My Favourite Songs Analyzed

“Things I Can’t Explain” comes to life as truly colossal bass tumbles and synth chords glow with luscious light. Max Herring’s fragile, tremulous vocals carry a melody full of exquisite aching as the synth continues to vibrate with surrounding light.

Max Herring’s voice is deep with hurt as industrial sounds clatter and soothing synth chords slide above the huge bass. Both singers intertwine their uniquely touching voices as the melody shivers with melancholy while the bass tumbles.

A twisting, smoothly flowing synth echoes, gripping my heartstrings with the melody’s mournful sensations. Lush bass continues to join with the shaping drums while the synth melody cries out.

The broken vocals call out with engaging emotion as rounded notes flare and the deep bass rumbles. The voice carries a pain that is raw and immediate as the hard-hitting industrial noises echo again. The singers combine their voices as the song comes to an end.

The narrator tells the song’s subject that he knows it causes them pain when there are things he can’t explain, like “where I was last night, what I was doing.” He adds that he can’t really say and it isn’t worth pursuing because “some things I can’t explain.”

Those things include “how a sunrise makes me feel,” and the way it’s torture for them to “deal with problems in our lives.” One of the problems is where he or the other person was when one of them was crying. He acknowledges the other is in great pain but confesses, “I’m stuck with the truth that I have to be lying, some things I can’t explain.”

He also struggles to explain how the subject wishes on a shooting star or how they ended up where they are, with “so many problems in our lives.” Now he asks where the song’s subject was last night “while I was fighting for us to be free of this pain.” He says they were elsewhere, “doing wrongs, I was fighting some things I can’t explain.”

These unexplained feelings include what it’s like to be misunderstood and how “what seemed awful really was good for the problems in our lives.”

Fiercely flaring synth slices with clean edges to join a rapidly trembling pulse to start “It's on Me.” Scintillating synth shines in intertwining lines as the percussion ticks and now the bass explodes with dynamic motion. A positive sensation fills the music as it flies forward and Max Herring’s softly elevated vocals fill the track with emotive depth.

The vocals are full of encouragement and support as the muscled drums and heavy bass rebound while the gleaming synth dances. The music’s propulsive nature matches Max Herring’s positive delivery, touching me with its sincerity of expression.

The drums continue to throb solidly and the vocals echo while the chorus flies and glistens. The bright synth glimmers as the percussion and bass interlock and fade. Max Herring’s gently affecting voice calls out while the synth exudes sunlight. The tremulous sound shifts again and the brilliant notes carry the hopeful melody as the song comes to an end.

Our storyteller points out the subject has been through a lot and seems to be losing touch, saying, “Reality is scratching your skin, your nightmares are moving in.” He encourages them not to let the thoughts “living rent-free” take away the shine “we all love to see.”

He reminds them that it’s all on him and they shouldn’t worry because “I’ve got you.” He says that when things get tough, “emotions rear their head,” they just need to remember he’s there and none of it is their fault.

Again, he tells them the intrusive thoughts shouldn’t steal their luster. The song’s subject worries they’re a burden, but the narrator reassures them he understands that “it’s love you need to face the day,” encouraging them to get up and face it because “we want you to stay.” He concludes, “You’ll never have to worry. I’ll always have your back.”

“Runway” opens as a twisting, sweeping synth rises smoothly as a glistening synth twines out above the gigantic bass and metallically guiding drums. After a percussive flourish, shiny chimes bounce as Max Herring's voice captures the song’s hip-swinging feeling.

The pounding bass and clean drums propel the music as a radiant synth carries the lissome melody and Max Herring has a twist in his voice which I find enjoyable, like a wry smile, as the string section shines. The low end is a solid pulse as the lyrics bounce between stereo channels and the French spoken word part adds another fun touch while the strings leap between.

Varied percussion taps as the drums and bass guide the music. The pipe organ part rings out with luminous energy and the open-voiced synth vibrates before the strings flash again and the low end thumps before the song comes to an end.

The narrator talks about a model walking the runway, feeling their “skin against these seams." He points out that confidence is everything and "with a smile you can spill the tea." He describes the model’s "stomping stilettos" as they catch their breath, adding that they never smile and they're "fresh to death."

Our storyteller describes the runway "lit like a boxing ring" and says it makes "the rhinestones sing." He adds that the runway feels like a tightrope as it feeds the people’s hope. As the eyeshadow runs down the model's cheek, he reminds them to "charge those hips, hit the beat.”

The narrator describes the model turning the corner and catching the light as they allow the crowd to "power your flight." The song ends as the narrator says in French: "Dressing is a way of life. Without elegance of heart, there is no elegance. Life is made up of little pleasures. Beauty has no age.”

Ghostly sounds and exhaled breaths drift past to commence “Last Night.” A sparkling sound flickers as Max Herring ’s passionate and painful vocals carry the yearning melody above the trickling synth and broadly tapping snare drum. Delicacy fills Max Herring’s expressive voice as a deeper voiceover adds gruff tones, while the xylophone-like synth echoes.

The drums and bass lock into a pounding beat as the trickling note pattern floats. A resonating, hollow percussive instrument moves with Max Herring's voice, which takes hold of my heart and tugs on it. These lyrics are a reminder of a difficult time in my life and one which I find deeply touching.

As the melancholy vocals slip by dramatically, the voiceover continues to repeat the phrase “last night.” After a flourish of percussion, the drums and bass continue to pulsate as the slowly swirling xylophone moves past. Max Herring's voice rises dreaming and full of loss above the drifting bass. A steadily buzzing sound moves as trumpeting notes flare and a laser-like synth trembles.

The snare drum hits hard again as wandering notes move past and Max Herring ’s tender voice slides out again, regretful and needy at the same time. As a string section swells lushly, the low end pulses and the track ends.

Our storyteller talks about the song’s subject being there with him and holding him tightly. He adds, “Last night I became aware while it was getting light that I need you far more than you need me.” He reaches the conclusion that this is just a fact and will remain so forever.

The narrator talks about how they were out together, “dancing through the laser beams.” He wonders if there can be any doubt that the relationship with the song’s subject is “exactly what it seems.” He reiterates the other person needs him more than he needs them and adds, “But my heart is true and we’ll make it eventually.”

In conclusion, our storyteller realizes they both drank too much the previous night and were barely in control. He goes on to say, “Last night I felt your touch and fell into the deepest hole.”

“Slick” begins as ferociously bouncing bass throbs and a mysterious synth floats with unmoored motion. A rubbery sounding synth carries a ghostly, jazzy melody out above the heavily rebounding low end.

The drums add sharpness as the roaming, peaceful melody joins Max Herring's distinctive voice, which flows with easy motion. Cleanly throbbing drums join with heavy bass as Max Herring embodies the lyrics’ mood. Razor-edged percussion moves with a round-sounding, dense synth while a smooth ringing fills the distance.

A bending synth flows with a silky, chilled-out melody while the vocals drive the message of the song. The low end’s bursting motion and thick bass add power while the vocals move with fragility. Drums and bass snap as Max Herring reaches out to the listener with his unique sound.

The bass throbs and the chorus rises again. The elevated melodic line howls above the hard-hitting low end before silence falls with Max Herring wordless voice.

The narrator says that the song's subject is "slick like the oil pumping through my heart," as he talks about them splashing it around artfully. He adds, "I don't quite know why I'm here, so I'll just keep out of your way." He describes the other person "spinning, spiraling from front to back," as they use "every tool on the rack.” He can see the skill it takes to do it, so he’ll “just keep out of your way.”

Our storyteller talks about the song's subject’s obvious talent, adding, "I watch as the world denies any kind of recompense for what you give away." He says the person has talent in his eyes: "If only the world was kind enough to make you a living, but you're always too forgiving.” He also describes the other person watching as all the likes and clicks accumulate.

If every search doesn't mean a hit, the narrator points out that the other person will be "filled with rage if you're not ranked top of the page." He says the person has "fans in 100 nations," asking if that isn't enough validation for them. He concludes that they "don't seem to get it through, it's all about you."

Ominous bass rumbles beneath a steady drum burst that creates a rapid, rushing sensation as “Disco Paranoia” kicks off. The slamming dance beat is joined by rapidly intertwining synths that gleam with fierce light as cymbals clash. A tightly wound, metallic synth echoes with ghostly nervousness as the low end thumps.

Max Herring delivers anxiety and discomfort as the drums build and a skipping, glimmering synth flies with manic liveliness. The vocals feel uncomfortable and stressed, evoking the same feelings in me. The minor key vocal melody is full of unsettled feeling, while a brightly tripping synth moves with the unstoppable low end.

The song glides into a calmer segment, where a sense of relief fills Max Herring's voice. The drums flourish as the vocals are chopped and reverent noises move behind them. Then the drums accelerate again and the track pounds onward with radiance before ending.

The storyteller feels his nerves jangle in the club “like the lasers above” as people push and shove. He says, “my stomach drops like the beat, the walls closing around my feet,” as paranoia floods his mind inside the disco.

Our narrator hears alarms ringing in his ears and feels “anxiety like mould,” which isn’t being helped by the vodka he’s drinking. He feels like he’ll collapse soon. He adds that his brain is “filled with lies” and his senses are fried, concluding, “there’s so much I’ll take, one more song and I’ll break.”

As the song ends, the storyteller remembers why he’s even at the club and says, “the outside world can disappear, I’ll grab a drink and take a shot and try to forget the lot.”

“Abandoned” begins with undulating, swinging synths echoing out while tiny, crystalline notes sparkle and the chords launch into motion. The vocals are hypnotic and elevated before the main melody flies out on a glimmering synth, full of loneliness, while strings intermingle faintly in the background.

Tremulous percussion pushes forward as Max Herring's melancholy voice cries out with bereft emotion. The strings shimmer as the voice climbs and the track then returns to the swinging, bouncing beat as the chorus carries the sensations of loss that flood the lyrics.

The percussion accelerates and the drumbeat throbs while the vocals swell with pain, moving above rippling arpeggios. The track pulses onward, as Max Herring carries my feelings with it. The chanted chorus swings smoothly once more before the track falls silent.

Our narrator describes “an empty chair, an empty bed, everything empty except my head.” He explains it’s about how “it’s you, yourself alone” and how the song’s subject walked away. As for himself, he’s left behind, bereft, because “it’s me, myself and I you abandoned.”

The storyteller says he was “unaware” and wonders if the other person was ever truly present. He was lost inside his own mind when he was “abandoned, left for dead.” As the song concludes, he mourns that he now has “an empty soul, an empty heart, everything empty now we’re apart.”

“Waste of Time” begins with building, swelling notes that grow over a bass pulse. Darker feelings wash below as a digital synth wriggles through the music while pan pipes exhale smoothly. Flaring chords trip underneath as Max Herring's voice is choppy and full of discomfort. In the background, sunlight spills while Max Herring expresses feelings of worry and anxiety.

As the frolicking notes intertwine, the vocals rise with delicacy and feeling. The low end punches as the performance captures the sensation of unwanted thoughts, while the synth glimmers with light. As the pan pipe synth intertwines with airy lightness, Max Herring fills his vocals with regret while the percussion pulses. The drums and bass keep the propulsion going with luscious depth as sounds twist and break. I enjoy the way the synth adds to the sensations of disconnected discomfort. As a fluting synth dances past, the glistening notes slide together and the track ends with choppy sounds.

Our tale’s teller regrets not having said what he wanted to before the moment vanished. He said he'd move on and let it go, but "that was a lie, I'll think about this till I die." He adds that it's going around in his head and he'll "worry about something else instead." He points out that it's a waste of time, but "I'm a slave to my mind."

The narrator is "preoccupied, antagonized, obsessively agonized," as he overthinks and second-guesses himself. He goes on to say, "give it a rest."

“What We Had” opens as waves of smoothly trembling synth move with twinkling chimes and crushingly massive bass. Starry notes sparkle like far-off dreams and Max Herring's voice reaches out with mingled nostalgia and pain above the smoothly tripping drumbeat. The vocals twist my heartstrings with the anticipation of the pain about to occur.

Chimes glitter as Max Herring's vocals climb with intense emotion and the drums burst. The notes are like silken threads and the vocals are hurting and damaged. As the shining notes irradiate the song, the vocals evoke painful memories. The drums continue to guide the music while the vocals soar upwards and the chimes pour out a scintillating luminescence. The emotion builds until it reaches aching intensity before the fragile notes echo. As a wind sweeps, Max Herring cries out once more before the song ends.

Our storyteller remembers himself with the song's subject as they were "kissing and holding, smiling and laughing." He was "feeling and floating, content and unknowing"utterly unprepared for what was about to happen.

Now, when the narrator thinks about the relationship they shared, he's unable to feel anything else but sadness. When he thinks about what the song’s subject said to him, "everything gets blurry, my heart hurts my head." He finds himself "hoping and crying, drowning and dreaming" as he thinks of the other person with regret.

The storyteller and the song’s subject’s relationship broke down into "shouting and fighting, hurting and panicking" in a torturous loss of meaning. Now he struggles to imagine his life without the other person, adding, “I can't describe the feeling, I can't tell you what I mean.”

He concludes that “you’re my perfection, you bring me joy. That’s why it hurts when you toss me like a toy.”

“Lift” begins with massively rebounding drums that move with a sunset synth glowing with orange light. Uniquely angular drums follow, as the lower-end percussion presses on slowly. The string section carries a positive melody full of hope above the low end. Max Herring enchants my heart with his expressive passion.

Love permeates the melody, which sings as the chorus climbs with sensations of fulfillment and safety. The strings intertwine and add affection as the vocals capture relief and settled comfort. The drums rattle while softly swirling chords interlock and Max Herring cries out with deeply felt sentiment.

Strings shine while the choral voices in the distance rebound and the vocals climb higher, reaching for the stars. The orchestral strings dance with an encouraging melody that folds me into a warm embrace. Aspiration spills through the music before the song ends.

The narrator "felt an eternal dismay, only living for today," and says that with one thing after another, "the future made me shudder." He asks the song's subject how they manage to make him feel so calm. He says the other person gave him a lift and adds, "Your existence is a gift." He feels unafraid in the other person's arms, putting his life in their hands.

Our storyteller reiterates that the other person lifts him up and feels like a gift. He adds, "I'm whole because of you. Till eternity, it's us two." He goes on to say that everything has now changed, asking the song's subject to "understand my sentiment," because the words don't come lightly and he wants to remind the other person nightly that they mean the world to him because "with you, I can just be."

As the narrator concludes, he says he didn’t feel like he could ever be "the sensitive kind, open and ready." But he’s come to realize that it’s so easy and "I get that lift eternally."

Conclusion

Veritas successfully combines melodic beauty, dance floor-filling grooves and emotionally powerful songwriting and singing. The Gliding Faces have created music that pierces my heart and makes me want to dance in the best possible combination of feelings.

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.