VISION VIDEO - Live at Richmond Music Hall

Words, Photos and Videos by Chris Magdalenski

A Black-Lipped Battle Cry Against Our New Normal: A Review of Vision Video’s Show at the Richmond Music Hall (August 29, 2025)

Ever since a friend introduced me to the music of goth, post-punk powerhouse Vision Video I’ve been waiting for the chance to see them live. For months now their music has become a mainstay in the soundtrack of my life. The band’s sound, a combination of the classic goth dark and melodic mixed with a healthy amount of pure punk aggression has given a stronger voice to my own personal frustrations around what’s going on in our world today.

Anyone who’s listened to Vision Video frequently knows where the band stands politically. Lead singer Dusty Gannon is not shy about using music to express his anger at the United States and its current administration, and all of that was on full riotous display for the evening’s festivities.

To put it bluntly; Vision Video puts on one hell of a show. 

To put it even more bluntly; if you’re a fan of the guy currently sitting in the White House this wasn’t going to be the safest of spaces for you… (Which, while I’m here I might as well say, was totally fine with me).

All of the angsty power, and black tinged anger that drew me into Vision Video’s music was there in all its sonic glory. The band was tight, delivering each song with all the fealty to the studio track while imbuing it with that unspeakably raw edge that the best live acts wield like a dagger. 

While it’s impossible for me to pick a favorite, the songs “Normalized”, “Let Go Of Time” and “Balaclava Kiss” were definite high points for me.

The all around vibe was amazing. The Richmond Music Hall is a fantastic small venue, and If you weren’t moving to the music, or joyously roaring in response to Dusty’s barbed lashes at the state of American politics you would’ve been one of the few. The crowd of less than 100 were into it all the way.

Which leads me to my final thoughts about the show… Towards the end of the evening Dusty offered his humble take on how to combat the dark political reality that’s overtaken our country. The first being getting out and using your voice to protest as much as possible. The second, was to build community, even if it’s just one person at a time.

Looking around the venue that night at the motley group of goths in attendance was a reminder that this is one of my communities. One that I absolutely love being a part of and hope to build deeper ties to in the coming months… Hopefully very soon at another Vision Video show.

Chris, Vince and Dusty Gannon

  For more Vision Video, visit https://visionvideo.bandcamp.com/

Sandor Gavin - Echoes

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Sandor Gavin’s Echoes is a gorgeously melancholic, retro journey through beautifully layered synth soundscapes accompanied by first-rate songwriting, excellent guest performances and a melodic sensibility that reflects memory, love and hope. The artist and his guests evoke deep emotion and express a romantic dream tinged by loss. The end result is an album that engages me and satisfies my musical cravings.

At the centre of Echoes is Sandor Gavin’s songwriting. He creates lyrics that touch me and carry me to nostalgic places, while still exploring all of the complicated emotions that make us human. The music is washed with affection, memory and hurt while it takes the listener on a journey through strong imagery and evokes all of the complicated feelings that come with the experience of living life.

Another outstanding part of Echoes is the way finely crafted melodies interact with Sandor Gavin’s compositional abilities. While the music exudes 1980s synth-pop vibes on the surface, digging deeper reveals a strong sense of atmosphere and moments of exceptional beauty. All of the layered sounds weave together to produce ear-grabbing music. On top of that, the melodies are scintillating and emotive, unfolding with grace and affecting feeling.

I also want to mention the cast of guest artists with whom Sandor Gavin has worked on Echoes. Each performer brings their own distinctive sound to the project while remaining true to the heart of the music. I’ve enjoyed their contributions and found myself sinking more deeply into the songs as a result.

My Favourite Songs Analyzed

“Ghost of a Memory” starts with a lightly drifting synth brimming with opalescent light and a thudding rhythmic pattern. Weldon's voice is full of velvety emotion and dreamy recollection as a flowing synth wraps around it. The solid low end guides the music as arpeggiating notes twirl and fluttering keys shift past.

Weldon's voice reaches out, capturing me in the words of regret. The guitar adds its own gently touching melody which carries loss deeply. The drums add a sharp cadence as the song moves forward. The singing is full of naked hurt despite Weldon’s tenderness.

Notes like glittering stars shine in the sonic firmament as the punchy beat presses forward. Weldon embraces the emotional core of the song as richly burnished notes beam out moonlight. As the words unfold with poignant sensations, the guitar eddies with loose-limbed, graceful motion before the song throbs to an end with chimes flickering and the rhythm driving.

As our storyteller looks out across the water “at a secret highway where we used to go,” he waits for the sun to set and “splash color across the waves.” There’s something deeply familiar throbbing around him like “the sound of a distant drum.”

He and the song’s subject had a love that was “sparked from the friction of passion,” something entirely real. Now it has become “just a ghost of a memory.” They had their time together, but the other person cut him deeply.

The narrator says, “you took my heart, you took the better part of me.” Now he finds himself lost in the pouring rain. He points out that he had a plan and the future was “there beside me.” Every night the song’s subject was there to guide him. They felt like home, but “now I don’t belong.”

Percussive solidity supports refulgent tones, carrying an encouraging melody as “Rise and Fall” begins. The phosphorescent notes pierce the music as Lucián’s satin voice carries the poignant words. As the chorus shimmers with positivity, the heavily driving low end gives form to the song. As Lucián catches the song’s spirit, he also catches my soul and propels me to the heights along with his melodic performance.

The synth drifts into a peacefully soothing segment in which it shines with sunlit hope. The singing’s smooth and full of aching sensations while the calming, diamond-like synth hovers. Lucián captures the wistful, contemplative nature of the words before the drum and bass pulsation hits hard again. Now the vocals climb with joyful energy as the low end shifts and the flaring notes spill brilliance through the song. Slap bass adds another quality to the low end as the song’s words ring out with pure uplift and the synth fills the music with illumination.

The storyteller asks, “Do you ever freeze the moment when it's time to face the pressure and take all that you came for?” He wonders if the song's subject ever feels alone in the middle of a crowded room, “when no one hears you screaming.” He points out that, “If you choose to believe we can face the shadows, step through the unknown.”

If you believe in him, the narrator assures us, “I will follow through the rise and fall.” He adds that with him it's possible to escape the shadows and make a mark. “We’ll rise above and stake our claim because this is our day.” He asks if you ever stop to wonder where time goes, “when the moment went asunder.”

Now the narrator adds, “If you brave the way alone, you keep one eye on the horizon as you're chasing the sun.” He assures the audience that, “If you stick with me, we can make it, we don't have to run.” He concludes by saying, “If you believe we can face the fire, we’ll light our shadows through the rise and fall.”

“Slave To Love” opens as luxuriant synth entangles warmly as synth chords gently flash. There’s a drum flourish and the throbbing retro drums jump into a dance floor friendly beat as they lock in with the dense bass.

LaVahn’s voice moves with silken ease as the disco beat pulsates and synth leaps out with electrifying light. The funky slap bass moves below LaVahn’s fervent performance, thrumming with desire as glittering chimes flit past and a prismatic synth sings the encouraging melody above the guiding drums and bass. Bubbly synth trickles past and radiant notes fly.

Now bass glides easily as medium-high synth flashes and the funky disco vibe returns while LaVahn’s luscious tones carry unrestrained need tinged with loss as the bass rumbles, broadly slipping synth moves and sparkling notes shine out. Drums press on while the vocal melody pours out amorous craving and now the polished synth spirals outward with the uplifting melody while slap bass grooves along and silence falls.

Our narrator asks when the song’s subject will look his way and come through for him. He’s “getting braver by the day” as he waits for the other person to invite him to “give me what I’m craving.” He’ll wait for the other person to show the hand they’re holding to him.

The storyteller asks why the other person is playing a game with him as they know he’s “burning up” for them. The song’s subject is making him run around and pulling his strings which has him behaving strangely. He adds that “you lead me on like I’m a slave for love.”

He asks when the other person will say his name and ease his heartache. He has waited patiently and prayed that the song’s subject will “find the time to give me what I’m asking for.” All he wants is some tenderness and a kiss. He asks why the other person has to lead him on and leave him “hanging on for a feeling.” The only conclusion to be reached is that “you’re deceiving ‘cause you never meant to be with me."

Rebounding, illuminating tones volley to kick off “Perfection”. The bass undulates as the lead singer's softly touching voice carries the affectionate melody above a heavy drumbeat. The singer’s sound is breath-warmed as it wraps around me like a warm blanket, while the prismatic chimes quiver and the drums throb along with the colossal bass.

The lead singer's voice is full of passionate caring and wonderment while the melody calls out on refulgent notes. Chimes spin a web of light while the sweeping notes glide and the beat throbs with luscious strength. The sung words are affecting as coiling notes exude sunlight and the low end drives on. The beat guides the delicate melody while ringing notes sparkle and the song ends on the feathery vocals.

Everything feels ideal for the storyteller as she talks about, “the way you hold me under the starlight tonight, the way your eyes meet mine, the way you kiss me ever so softly.” She craves being held more closely by the song's subject under the night sky. The realization hits her that, “I never knew that love could be so easy, it's perfect with you.” She adds that their hearts beat in unison.

The narrator muses, “It's all brand new, somehow it feels like the first time.” She goes on to say, “If only I knew that I could find someone like you.” She points out that tomorrow is a long way off so, “Why don't you stay a little bit longer, I want you to hold me and wait until the morning.”

As the song’s subject looks at her, our storyteller says it’s like, “I'm the only girl in the world.” She concludes by saying, “I've been lost all my life until I found you and I found heaven.”

“Not Enough” starts as smoothly pulsing drums and bass join Lucian’s echoing voice before a sliding house drumbeat and bassline give it a laidback heartbeat. Cutting synth joins the song as Lucián’s voice grows in power while shining synth adds lambency above the throbbing low end as it shapes the song. Sleepless Nights’ guitar adds a twanging, groovy layer to the music as it skips through the song.

Lucián’s performance is plaintive as it moves through the music, the melody hurting as a glassy synth glows with tender feelings and the dancing low end pushes on.There’s a broken twinge in the singing as the glimmering synth fills the song with light as the throbbing low end makes me want to dance all night and Lucian captures the lyrics with his vocal sensibilities. The music ends on the echoing vocals.

The storyteller says that he didn't mean to do the song’s subject any harm or hurt them. Now he says that it's “tearing me apart, it breaks my heart.” He goes on to say that every “little white lie” and secret he kept makes him live in regret. Now he’s “facing the consequences."

Our narrator asks the other person not to tell him that "it's not enough, when you know that I tried baby to be true.” He goes on to tell the other person that he got "caught up in love" and now he's trying to make it right by the song’s subject.

The storyteller texts to the other person, says that they shouldn't tell him. He's hard to love when "it's you that can be so cruel." He goes on to say that he has a problem with trust and he's got a feeling that for the song subject it isn't enough and it has been “eating me alive.”

Now the narrator is "tangled up in the web of lies" and has crossed the line. He adds that he didn't mean to hurt the other person and that “I left you for too long, hanging on to broken promises.” He is willing to change if “you're willing to forgive me.”

Metallic bells ring out above a steady drum pattern to open “Energy Fields”. There’s a lost, spectral quality in the bells as they tremble while the heavy low end pulsates. Floating tones drift past with the feeling of longing before the beat accelerates to a rushing throb and levitating notes sing with tremulous energy.

Trenton’s singular voice trembles above the glimmering notes and a punching low pulsation. The vocal melody is caressing and hurt, reaching out for a distant love, touching my heart as it does so. The chorus adds warmth, but the underlying emotion is melancholy. Dancing notes exude distant luminosity and the low end shapes the track. Horizons 1982 creates a lushly moving background to the song.

Trenton’s voice adds a vulnerable depth which is galvanizing while the pounding beat goes on. All of the wanting within Trenton's voice pours out and curls around the brilliant notes which intermingle and shine. Underneath everything, the insistent beat goes on. There’s a brief pause and whirling, mechanized-sounding synth moves while Trenton’s drifting expression captures ghostly remembrance and the tempo changes to a halftime pulse.

Mournful feelings pervade the song while the words float without drums and bass, touched by a wandering melodic pattern. The silken synth rises with need and caring as the vocals carry the song to an end.

On a frigid winter's night, the storyteller has a “twist of shadows” playing tricks on his mind. He sees the song's subject across the way and, “as you’re taking shape, I hear you calling out my name,” he feels their soul close to him, “somewhere out there in the mist.” He wonders if the other person is trying to let him know that they’re coming back to him.

There’s a shift in temperature and our narrator feels the song subject’s energy. He says, “you’re coming through in waves, you’re just a phase out of time until our stars align.” The other person can fight as hard as they like, but “the harder that you try, something pulls you back.” He sees their face in a mirror, but it isn’t the face he once knew and he points out, “something’s changed in your eyes, don’t deny.”

The storyteller can feel the song’s subject’s soul close to his and he says, “I think you tried to scream, it was just a whisper’s end.” He’s unable to bridge the gap between them and reach across to the other person’s side. He speaks of “dreams like whispers through the dark, lost in time and fading through the veil.” He is “trapped by feelings long gone by, forever reaching for light that shines through the other side.”

As the song concludes, our narrator says there’s still a story to be told and a song left unsung, so he’s standing on hallowed ground as he tries to “reach beyond the energy field.”

“Hard Times” starts with a steadily humming tone touched by hauntingly beautiful notes that rise with a breathy sonic sweep. Emily Jackson’s voice is sensitively moving as the low end tumbles with cascading strength. The bass rebounds with forceful energy and the singer carries a bittersweet melody, pulling me along with it.

A gleaming synth frolics with lively dynamism while Emily Jackson cries out with ardent emotion and the drumbeat rebounds. Choral voices soar while Emily Jackson imbues the lyrics with a sense of life. Crystal notes fall through the music as swaying pulsations throb beneath her heartfelt delivery and the drums flourish. A chiming synth carries a melody brimming with affection and need, unfolding with true feeling. Emily Jackson belts out the words with such ferocity and conviction that I am swept away before the song ends.

While looking for something to hold on to and waiting “for nothing, for you and only you,” our narrator has to “step back, watch the rainbow die.” She’s waiting to be called back to a time in which “I was all alone and had to start on my own.”

As she looks in the mirror, the storyteller tells herself she’s fine but continues to replay the other person’s memory over and over. In hard times, she thought it was “getting clearer again,” but it’s a hard fight and she’s still “here replaying you over again.”

Closing her eyes, our storyteller can “see a thousand miles,” but she asks to be stopped from looking because she’s falling behind. She pleads, “don’t turn away from me now ’cause I need you more than before.” She asks the song’s subject to hold her because, “I’m not sure who I am anymore.”

A jazz organ carries a heartbroken melody over slowly gliding notes to commence “Closure.” Sandor Gavin’s voice is piercingly emotional, carrying the melody as Jerika Golde’s voice adds more weight to its mournful ache. The low end undulates while the chiming guitar glows with tender feeling.

The singers join in impassioned expression as Sleepless Nights’ guitar leaps forward with encouragement and tentative hope. The clashing low end drives the music as the first singer captures the lyrical depth. Their intertwining voices compel me with their earnestness, while guitar glides again with soothing emotion as heavy bass rebounds.

The drums flourish and push forward while Jerika Golde’s lush voice leaves a vivid impression. The guitar spangles above the pounding beat and both singers carry the song with their voices entwined into one rich whole as the glimmering guitar calls out. The song ends on Sleepless Nights’ guitar solo, flying above the music with piercing emotion before silence falls.

The first narrator says, “we used to think everything had meaning, we used to believe, we used to dream.” Now we discover that life can cut us down and “cut you straight to the bone, grinding pleasure to stone.” He wonders how we go forward when “there’s no life at the end of the road” and how to breathe when “our lungs are filled with smoke.”

Our storyteller asks, “will you be there with me as the sun comes down? As the story ends and a new day begins?” He wants to know if the other person will remain “as the lights go dark, as we turn the page at the end of the day.”

He wonders what we’ll become when “our legends and martyrs, our myths and monsters start to lose their charm.” He muses, “where we go once we reach the end of the road and how do we feel when our hearts are turned to stone?”

The second narrator asks to be told why they didn’t win the fight, even though they gave everything while “trying to keep our heads above water.” She points out that “they say in time, everything will work out the way it should,” but in reality, “nothing ever changes and it never would, you know it never could.”

Conclusion

Echoes is full of heartfelt emotion, stunning sonic atmospheres, and songwriting that roams across the broad field of human feeling. I enjoy the mixture of romance, nostalgia, and expression throughout the album and deeply appreciate the contributions of the guest artists.

Pyrococcus - Glow With The Flow

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Pyrococcus’ Glow With The Flow spills over with thrilling energy, positivity and a sense of life as a dance floor. Pyrococcus fills the music with excitement, joy and unbridled enthusiasm as the thundering beats are a call to dance. In concert with his collaborators, he creates playful music which fuels hope and fills me with a feeling of possibility and freedom. This is music for celebration and uplift.

For me, the heart of Glow With The Flow is the combination of the guest artists and Pyrococcus’ skills and sonic sensibilities. Each of his guests brings their own fascinating approach and undeniable verve to the album's mixture of dynamic movement and spiritual positivity. The way in which the different musical elements combine results in heartwarming sensations and the irresistible need to move.

Melody is a crucial component of Pyrococcus’ approach to Glow With The Flow He writes tunes brimming over with memorable qualities and expressive feeling. Each melody captures some essential emotion and drives it home with unrelenting engagement, weaving through the propulsive beats to touch one at a heart level.

Naturally, the dance floor vibes in Glow With The Flow make listeners want to groove. Each track is compulsively danceable and I can imagine it filling floors from nightclubs to raves with no difficulty at all. A sense of freedom and lightness pours from the album as it evolves and the end result is music which is both pleasing to listen to and fun to move to.

My Favourite Songs Analyzed

“In Flames” starts off as rising synth chords move with a slowly descending, jet-like sound. Vaulting synth chords imbue the music with intense luminosity as the reggaeton beat adds Caribbean flair.

As the Latin piano dances, the lead singer’s confident voice carries passion and desire while chords rocket with a coruscating flash. The singer’s voice drifts with intense emotion as the beat smacks in again and the effulgent synth climbs.

The chorus erupts and the percussive beat moves beneath the affecting voice of the lead singer. The steady beat is hypnotic as the piano glides with a deeply shifting synth and the vocals emanate sensuality.

Brilliant chords jump in and the hip-swaying rhythm is hard to resist while the vocals pull me into the message of the song. As the scintillating chords flash, the chorus cries out again with addictive potency, while the indomitable low end pulsates.

The vocals hover silkily before the undulating chords spill out light and the beat becomes a smoothly cruising pulsation. As the lead singer gives herself over to emotion, the chords take on a minor key quality despite their crystalline shimmer. Percussion thunders as the beat changes tempo and the lead singer reaches out to express the words with engaging strength before the song comes to an end.

Our narrator inhales deeply and feels the fire starting as "the smell of the smoke is sweet and inviting.” She says, "The glowing dance floor calls my name, I'm losing myself in the flames," as she asks if the other person can feel the heat rising too.

The heat is a "force that's surging, breaking through" while they "ride the volcano to new heights." Now the walls shake and the ground trembles as "fire is burning and it's coming for you."

As they reach new heights, she asks the song's subject if they can feel it. Their bodies become aware and their hearts race as "the music and beat has us hypnotized," while they run through the flames.

A steadily pulsing low piano and thumping bass joins the lead singer's voice to open “Glory of the Cosmos”. She conveys deep respect and awe as the lively piano dances while the bass growls with hefty musclie. Her smooth delivery carries with joyful strength while the piano fades and a wandering synth bends as she leaps in.

The low end thuds with dance floor–filling verve as her engaging presence drives home the song’s message, pulling me deeper into its spirit. Trumpeting tones shine with clean light as the beat continues to pound while the piano frolics and an elevated synth twists with ghostly energy. Flashing notes tumble as wordless phrases ascend, the piano twinkles and the low end adds weight.

As the drums rattle and the bass reverberates, the singer unleashes her expressive performance while the piano moves with celebratory life. The piano explodes with sunlight and the track comes to an end.

As space’s vast expanse opens before the storyteller's eyes, she speaks of "a never ending dance of light, a dream that fills us all with delight." She adds that from the most minuscule particle to the most massive galaxy "the universe is full of wonder." She continues, "We cannot help but ponder the glory of the cosmos." Within those innumerable stars, there's a story yet to be told.

Despite our fondest wishes, "we may never fully understand the mysteries of the universe at hand," but that doesn't mean we can't appreciate "the light that’s shining from the rays." From subatomic particles to "the supernova sky, the glory of the cosmos is a sight to admire."

“Electricity Game” begins with a bold piano and wordless vocals full of impassioned engagement. The piano chords rebound as the bass trembles and Viktoria Sunshine fills the music with soulful energy. The vocals surge with explosive, uplifting liveliness as the piano entangles with a leaping synth that washes the music in radiance.

The piano is dynamic and joyful as Viktoria Sunshine lets her voice tear through with unbridled expression. I enjoy the vitality of the performance which the vocals embody. As shining synth mingles with flashing piano, Viktoria Sunshine’s voice unfolds with pure positivity.

The piano chords keep dancing as the chorus leaps upwards while percussive tones clash and bounce. Happiness permeates the vocal performance as the low end throbs. Exuberance defines Viktoria Sunshine’s voice as she carries the rousing main melody while the keyboard sings with unstoppable life and the song closes on the piano’s glowing power.

As they move under the neon lights, the narrator says, “We dance with a mysterious grace and lure you into our embrace.” She moves closer with seductive intent as she plays a “dangerous game with no line between pleasure and pain.” This is the electricity game as she moves with “hypnotic freedom, the voltage rushing through my veins.”

“Impulses twist and turn and sway” as the storyteller speaks of rapidly falling in love. She adds, “Be true to your fate, you will never be the same.” The night air is charged and she can “feel the electricity ignite.” Her body crackles with energy, her mind alive. She concludes, “I can’t resist, I let myself dive into the power of the current flow. I’m made of energy, it’s all I know!”

Warm piano tones cascade as sharp drums thump to commence “Raving”. Manthy's free-flowing voice sparks enthusiasm as the low end drives with dynamic force and the piano shines with a galvanizing feeling.

The danceable bass guides the music as the vocals soar with thrilling expression while the piano notes shimmer. Manthy captures the joyful dynamism of the track in a way that catches my ear and fills me with positivity.

The low end collides with Ignacio Arrua’s weighty bass while the piano skips through with effervescent ease. Vocals glimmer and fly as the low end slices and the piano stutters with irradiating light.

Liberty and unbound happiness pour out as the bass rebounds and the piano skims across the music. Sharp-edged synth glistens while Manthy embodies the freedom in the lyrics before the song comes to a radiant close.

The beat thuds, neon lights flash and the crowd dances as our storyteller says that “we lose ourselves in the music’s heart” while they rave to the beat and let it flow. An electric rush of energy leaps through the crowd as they’re “moving to the rhythm like a child.” The music lifts them higher and they’re “dancing through the night on fire.”

As the world outside recedes, the narrator says they’ll stay lost in the moment while “raving to the beat, letting it flow.” They’ll allow the music to move their souls “as we dance and lose control.” As they become one with the beat, it frees them and they are “all connected by the energy.”

“Fire in My Soul” kicks off as Ignacio Arrua’s slap bass moves funkily and the resonant vocals carry an exciting feeling while the guitar accompanies digital-sounding, hollow synth. After a skidding sound, the drum and bass rhythm pops as Deeolares’ heart-filling singing encapsulates encouragement and strength.

The music leaps with joy as the snare drum and kick drum entwine with the bass in a pumping beat. Ilia Neverov’s guitar is ultra-chill, joined by fat bass as Deeolares captures all of the ardent intensity and unbridled happiness within the song.

As the low end stutters, Deeolares catches me with her fresh vocal performance while the guitar continues to shine with funky luminosity and the broken vocals flash. The beat’s undeniable collision with the soul-infused vocals fills the music with an irresistible sense of obstacles conquered. The guitar jams through the track with a great vibe and the music sails to an end.

For our storyteller, “the journey starts as fate commands, trading new paths my heart demands.” She speaks of a “fire in my soul, a force that makes me whole.” She moves forward confidently while “unfolding dreams with all of my might.” She chases the light with “passion’s fire.” She adds that we must “cherish visions and make them true.”

Now there’s an “epic thrill” for the narrator as we “glide toward the future” and face obstacles with resolve. She speaks of the way in which we’ll “spread wings of light” and turn the sky with our sacred power. As the song concludes, the narrator says, “obsession fuels ambition’s flame, creating pathways, fortunes to claim.” She finishes with, “embrace the call, let doubts dissolve, in daring steps we evolve.”

A gigantic, rumbling pulsation thumps to commence “Let’s Attack.” The beat adds weight and forward progress as the percussion moves while the piano chords limn the music in radiance and whispered vocals add urgency.

The low end is heavy while Nida adds her gutsy voice, the broken melody full of utter victory. The piano chords have a jazzy sheen as Nida carries the adrenaline-filled vocals with her full voice. I enjoy the defiant nature of her words as the wildly flaring synth erupts with freedom and the rhythm heaves gigantically.

The depth and shared feeling within the vocals can't be denied as the piano adds bright notes. The entire song pulsates with huge confidence while Nida lets loose with her concentrated voice before the music stops.

Taking a risk and leaving behind everything we've known is a chance for dreams to come true, according to the narrator. As we set course “on a mission so grand, side by side we make a stand” while adventure calls out to us, we make a path forward despite the fact that “challenges await, no room for slack.” She reminds us to “unleash your power, raise your voice” as every decision is a defining choice.

As the flames flare up, our storyteller says, “we take the lead, rising strong at lightning speed” while fighting against the odds. She adds that we transform new horizons as we are “on the edge,” while we push limits and strive. We make a “daring move against the grain” as we break free from the everyday.

There can be “no looking back, no regrets, no holding back” as we attack and take a chance to get what we want. The narrator calls on everyone to take risks. As the song concludes, she says, “unleash your power, raise your voice.”

“Cathartic Dance” begins as a keyboard jumps in dynamic lines, while Ziberia’s voice overflows with undeniable energy. The piano pumps as Ziberia’s voice unfolds with ardent sensations. A minor-key keyboard brims with irrepressible vitality as Ziberia’s soulful voice flies and the beat throbs, making you want to hit the dance floor.

The chorus soars with effervescent encouragement, transmitting celebration. The vocals are slightly distorted as the piano notes flit and vault and Ziberia releases her voice with joyful abandon. The track is addictive as it thunders, with the piano flicking rapidly through the music.

The chorus arcs again, twisting and weaving, full of brio. I enjoy the broken beat as it adds another active element. The piano interlocks and the main melody jumps above the active piano before the song closes out.

Our storyteller speaks about being in a place full of darkness and shadow with "souls seeking solace in the ballroom" as they ache for release "in a dance, cathartic, wild and free." She talks about the heavy burdens we carry and "the stories etched in every fold.” However, she adds that "tonight we shed our heavy skin, as the rhythm takes us deep within."

The narrator exhorts the audience to feel the beat and "let it ignite the fire within the darkest light" as they let their bodies move and their spirits fly in "this cathartic dance, forevermore." She talks about letting go of pain with every step and releasing tension "in smooth movements" as they break the chain.

Our storyteller talks about embracing our vulnerability to find strength, adding that "in this sacred space, we go to any length to heal the wounds and let go of the past." As we move into "this dance of release, our souls transcend."

As the song winds down, the narrator says that we should "dance with hearts unbound (in) a symphony of movement, (as) our souls resound," and in a "cathartic dance, we find our ground."

"Returning to Earth" comes to life with expansive synth pulses and high tones that tumble through the music. Stacey Jay’s voice rings out with a wordless melody as wind sweeps. The bass descends and intriguing vocals carry the gossamer, adventurous melody as percussion rebounds rapidly. The glimmering synth calls out with energizing life as the drums stutter.

A raised sound falls through the music as strings call out with warm dynamism and digital-sounding notes descend. Stacey Jay’s vocals are expressive and distinctive as the strings mingle and intertwine with deep feeling. The piano-like synth dances and moves as the strings sing with a surrounding sensation. The piano rings and Stacey Jay’s voice flows with wordless feeling as digital-sounding notes drop again.

The stuttering, ticking rhythm dances along with the radiant synth as it flicks through the music. Piano-like notes ring out again, carrying the uplifting melody and the bass drops as sweeping noises rush again. The chorus moves through with intensity. I am drawn to this song’s message as it unfolds. Stacey Jay lets her voice flow again with intense feeling before the song ends.

The narrator talks about how she has travelled far from distant planets as a "cosmic explorer, guided by a star." She talks about flying through space, "weightless and free," while seeing "wonders, a universe of grace."

Our storyteller says that she "sought answers in celestial heights" out amongst the cosmic dust and vast vistas." Somewhere inside of her, she heard a voice calling her name and "guiding me back to Earth's gentle flame." She says that in the expanse of space, planet Earth's beauty is still "unsurpassed, a treasure meant to last."

The narrator says that from her intergalactic adventures, she ends her journey and returns to "Earth's embrace, where love and joy blend." She says that back on Earth, she's grounded and "my soul finds serenity." She says that "from lunar craters to Saturn's rings, I've marvelled at extraterrestrial things" but she concludes that what she truly wishes to see is "Earth's rivers, mountains, seas."

Conclusion

Glow With The Flow is an album for summer fun, lifting the blues and getting you moving. The combination of superb guest performers, music alive with galvanizing qualities and melodies that reach out to caress the soul makes this an excellent listening experience.

Zak Vortex - Back From The Dead

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Zak Vortex’s Back From The Dead is an album that delves deeply into the core of human emotion. It is a musical reflection on love, life and mortality, spurred by Zak Vortex’s experience of suffering a severe heart attack and being in a coma from which his family was warned he might never wake. The way in which Zak Vortex weaves together powerfully affecting melodies, expressive guitar performances and layers of beautifully intertwined synth creates music that moves the soul and touches the heart.

At the heart of Back From The Dead is emotional openness and rawness. There’s a clarity to the expressions of fear, worry and loss, as well as affection, love and tenderness that fill the tracks. Zak Vortex channels all of the complex emotions with which he must have struggled through the experience into music that is poignant, emotive and full of undeniable caring.

One way Zak Vortex expresses his emotions effectively is through the melodic writing on Back From The Dead. Each melody dives fully into the welter of feelings that must fill him as he contemplates the events that transpired. Every line of melody has an undeniable beauty, delivering a heady punch of sensation.

Another strong element of this album is Zak Vortex’s guitar work. He captures the palpable ache and sense of loss that touch the music, while still managing to convey hopeful aspiration and a sense of unbelievable gratitude for what he has in life. I must admit that the guitar gave me moments of melancholy contemplation as it moved through the music.

All of the different synth tones and textures mingle to draw me further into the musical landscape Zak Vortex paints here. Each synth is carefully chosen to capture a different mood or feeling, layered one upon another to create imagery that is touching and full of moving sensations I find irresistible.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“How Do I Say Goodbye?” starts off with bass that ripples richly and glittering chimes which twirl and grow in strength. As the chimes flow, a peacefully expanding chord glides with luscious warmth and a rhythmic cadence bursts. The lead instrument glows, exuding caring emotion as the beat raps. The main melody moves me, poignant and full of loss, while satin tones in the distance shine with caressing radiance.

A brighter synth trembles, slowly shimmering, as the distant backing notes wrap me in a cloudy blanket. The low end guides as gleaming tones tumble and ache, while a wordless cry rises, capturing longing and hurt The bass washes with tidal depth as brilliant notes sparkle like stars in the firmament.

Floating voices wander while the percussion locks into a steady beat and a diamantine synth flickers with starlight. Roaming tones create peaceful contemplation against the sharp percussion. Bell-like notes ring as the drifting vocals slide over the clean drumbeat. Meditative sensations permeate the music as the artist considers the possibility of leaving this world. The low end throbs like a heartbeat while elevated notes exude serenity before the track ends.

A soft female voice carries a mournful melody as scintillating light suffuses the track to open “Falling”. Serene notes drift above the heavy bass throb, turning in slow motion as the . A steadily repeating, glowing synth joins a cascading melody carried on a refulgent instrument that spills brightness through the track.

The low end drops as female vocals exhale wistful dreaminess above a lambent background. A glockenspiel sings with affectionate, brokenhearted melody, touching my heart as it flows through. A heavy pulse rebounds while a medium-high, glimmering synth transmits a hypnotically enticing melodic pattern.

The glockenspiel adds distant luminosity as the shaping bass and clean drums press on. Glistening notes call out with tragic tranquility as the track progresses, percussive elements falling away until the exhalations of the female voice bring it to a gentle close.

“Let Me Wake Up” commences with a trembling synth and deep bass before a sax cries out with exquisitely soft emotion. A shining synth drifts as the sax breathes with powerful feeling, full of pleading. The beat strikes while the gliding bass curls softly around the sax, which pours out a soul-deep ache I find poignant.

The rhythmic pattern taps lightly before driving harder as the sax’s emotive voice carries all the hope wrapped in the melody. Wordless vocals and string-like tones intertwine to create calming sensations while the bass flows with lush depth.

Clean low end vibrations support crystalline notes that ring out, echoing through the track, heavy with hurt and hope. Exhaling vocals join the sax as it expresses love, fear of loss and fierce affection before the track slips away.

Distant notes float with a misty sensation as the throbbing percussion slowly grows in power to start “Will I See You Again?” There is a tentative quality to the melody before it becomes full and rich, repeating in hypnotic motion as shards of light flicker from the lead synth.

The supporting beats are dense, adding shape while the crystalline melody aches with remembrance and regret. The track slides into a quiet moment of reflection before the rhythm returns and the shining notes spill brilliance.

The guitar cries out with passion and haunted emotion, full of yearning and reaching. The continually repeating synth hypnotizes while the percussion and bass intermingle.

I am touched by the palpable affection and fear of loss within the melody while the scintillating notes sparkle. The music takes shape through the dense low end before the track ends with rapidly oscillating notes fading into silence.

“Dream” begins as a synth trickles with a softly oneiric sensation while the bass rumbles in rolling waves. Breathy notes drift with graceful lightness as the main melody sails past with disconnected, hovering sensations and an aurora of tones spills through the music.

The percussion moves with steady rhythm as the guitar intertwines with broken emotion, weaving unmoored, hurting sorrow. Chimes bring encouragement, hinting at the possibility of hope despite tragedy. The melody is fragile and melancholy, conveying to me all of the gentle emotions within the track before it finishes.

Lapping synth waves wash through to commence “Wires”. Bass oscillates with lugubrious motion as a xylophone adds metallic brilliance and ever-growing chords expand into wide, sweeping motion. A steady pulsation beneath the other musical elements adds form while the rising synth glows with encouraging, soothing emotion.

Metallic notes glitter like a mirage, dazzling me and moving me, above the clicking snare and rumbling bass. Sunlight suffuses the high notes while the low end swells with weight. A melody mingling love, gentleness and a hint of emptiness calls out.

Once again, the percussion slices with shaping accuracy beneath the raised notes that flare with hopeful illumination. Shiny synth sparkles and flits while the bass adds luscious support. As the track closes, a sense of progress and escape permeates the music before silence falls.

“Corridors” opens as a graceful synth ripples with soothing smoothness. Coruscant tones skip in hypnotic patterns as the colossal rhythm rebounds and powerful chords add strength. Triumph and rising confidence permeate the melody as it fills the music, while the twirling figures add depth and motion behind it.

Shimmering accents glint with tenderness while the drum beat guides the song with assured power. Luminous tones drift in flowing arcs as the warming synth glows with rich illumination. I enjoy the sense of growing ease and victorious progress which fills the melody while the low end pulse drives forward.

Celestial luminance spills from the entrancing patterns as flickering tones spark. The rhythm steadies, grounded and unwavering, before it fades into sharp-edged bass and delicate chimes, suffusing the music with sensations of wide blue skies. The snare and bass surge once more as the synth soars skyward. As the track ends, I am left with hopeful anticipation for days yet to come.

Reverent choral voices rise above looming bass and the saxophone cuts into the music with expressive warmth to start “Miracle”. The rhythm pulses like a heartbeat while the jazzy sax fills the soundscape with soul and reverberant chimes exude light.

The low end heaves with shaping motion while the ethereal sax sighs with haunting emotion, as faint ticking textures add definition. A drifting synth glides with tranquility while the echoing sax lingers with ghostly delicacy.

Metallic tones pierce the air with soft brilliance while the worshipful synth choir calls out wistfully. Floating chimes hover as the electric guitar creates a sense of hope, the steady drumbeat throbbing beneath.

The sax quivers before the gliding tones entwine with fierce chimes, flooding the track with effulgence. Deep with longing, the sax reaches out in a way that touches me profoundly. The drumbeat continues its heavy heave as gleaming notes flare one last time before the track fades away.

Conclusion

Back From The Dead captures the wild rush of emotion and all the complexities associated with a near brush with mortality. Zak Vortex manages to capture emotions that run the gamut from fear to affection with heart, soul and an authenticity that cannot be denied.