Damokles - Then Again

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Damokles’ Then Again is another album shot through with his unique style, in this case tinged with rave vibes and a futuristic outlook. His inimitable vocal performance is joined by his unmistakably crafted synth sound and usual melodic chops. The end result is music which is a hell of a lot of fun and brims with personality and charm. I could definitely see myself putting this album on repeat.

Of course, no Damokles album would be complete without his ear-catching mixture of strong vocal performances, a sound like no one else’s and songwriting which is quirky and explores topics most people don’t think much about. As a result, each song pours out characterful energy and tends to convey unique messages with an entertaining spirit.

A dance floor–filling feeling permeates Then Again. It’s a sound I find appealing. I enjoy the massive rhythm’s throbbing pulsations along with the bright energy of the layered synths. All of the different sounds are well thought out and mixed together to create a very ear-pleasing sonic experience.

Another element that adds to the overall quality of Then Again is Damokles’ melodic writing. He crafts catchy melodies that convey emotions with immediacy and vibrant joy. A sort of magical spell is performed when he writes melodies in which my mind is transported across the soundscape to engage with them and feel them in my heart.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Immortality” comes into being as reverberating notes echo while a voiceover talks about extreme life extension. A tumbling, cascading rhythm shifts with enigmatic sounds drifting hauntingly above rapidly trembling synth and pulsating low end weight. Trailing notes shiver before the ecstatic melody rockets out above the punching rhythm and Damokles’ deep, expressive voice calls out.

Arpeggios whirl with tension as laser-light sounds flicker and bright chords shine while the low end accelerates with great weight. The lyrics ask, “Who wants to live forever?” and “who can give forever?” Damokles’ resonating voice carries the darkly shaded melody as expansive notes flange through the music with rotating energy and the dance-floor-pounding beat throbs.

Mechanical sounds clank as the rhythm grows in forceful motion, robotically clunking and driving while the raised synth slashes with lightning flares. The electrifying low end pushes the track to its conclusion.

Computerized sounds knife in with angular motion as a seething pattern establishes itself to kick off “Resurrection.” A warning sound sweeps as the rhythm becomes a steady force, accelerating with galloping motion. A pulsating sound repeats with insistent energy while Damokles’ rumbling voice carries the enigmatic melody over a dance-floor-friendly beat.

The synth in the background vibrates with danger as the chorus rises with unbridled power, the rhythm becoming unavoidably trance-inducing. I enjoy the darkness within the vocals as the steadily bursting beat makes me want to move. Flaring notes vibrate beneath the catchy chorus while the low end is broken by snarling, raging sounds full of growling threat. Angular, digital-sounding synth twirls as the irresistible pulse drives forward.

Delicate sounds drift as endlessly whirling tones spin together and the track pushes on with unstoppable force. I can imagine a crowd jumping and dancing while the lyrics speak of the endless search for the return of the dinosaurs. Nervous tones vibrate as the snare drum continues to pulsate before the track finishes.

It’s been 65 million years since the last dinosaur walked the Earth. Our storyteller says that “eons passed and the mountains rose,” but now the dinosaurs might get a second birth. We’ve been “obsessed since we discovered them,” and we’re not going to stop until we resurrect them.

We’ll “bring them out of the stone, out of the sand, ’cuz we collect them, bring them back to the world to see if we can coexist.” After unearthing their remains, we name them and display them. The narrator admits, “As things are turning out, they might live to see another day.”

Scientists have been searching for DNA to recover the dinosaurs and the narrator insists, “Give it time, because we won’t rest until they are finally really here.”

“The Sword of Damokles” begins as metal clashes and bouncing, resonant synth carries a tightly spinning melodic pattern. A blacksmith’s anvil rings as a melody dancing with light sweeps, while the backing choir calls out with reverence. The rhythm is exciting while Damokles’ deep, compelling voice carries the mysterious melody.

I’m enamoured of the way in which Damokles drives the chorus with triumphant, yet darkly powerful energy above the flowing pulses beneath it. The beat subdivides as metal rings and bending notes twist. A rising, tightly spinning sound is joined by drums that thump heavily, while Damokles rumbles the words in his shadowy, stentorian voice. The chorus leaps out again, poised like a sword’s honed blade.

Now a signature keytar solo flies with victorious, arcing energy, electrifying the music while the low end continues to push forward. Once again, the chorus reverberates with dramatic expression before the song closes out.

Just when you think you’re in control, the narrator says you ought to look above your head to “see the steel, feel the cold,” because the sword of Damokles is suspended above you and it’s “hanging just by a thread.” He reminds us to remain conscious of the fact that the sword dangles there, and always will. He concludes, “When the climb feels too easy, every move falls into place, you can feel its presence and your pulse starts to race.”

A piercing tonal pattern oscillates with dramatic intensity to kick off “Infinity.” Dense shadows hover below the climbing synth which glows with galactic light while the raving groove punches. The words are carried by Damokles’ unmistakable voice, wrapped in a melody full of cosmic mystery.

Rough edges cut as Damokles calls out. A rising tone ramps up as the drums charge and the singer’s wonderfully enigmatic, deep tones transmit the haunting melody while notes radiate with the light of distant cosmic structures. A flat, tripping percussive pattern drives as the supernova glow of the synth undulates in angular motion. Chimes glitter like nebulae and Damokles carries the mysteriously twisting melody as trembling notes glide and the song ends.

Imagine that every time you stand outside and look up at the sky, someone out there is looking back at you. The narrator adds that “the reflection of yourself will multiply, every movement that you make will be repeated too.” As he talks about infinity, he points out that “Infinity is anything existing many times, anytime will always come again.” He concludes by saying that if you glimpsed it “you would surely go insane.”

“The Universe is Waiting” starts with the classic Neil Armstrong “one small step” speech before a fulminating synth pattern trembles below a deep voice-over and the frolicking low end punches forward. Exuberance explodes from the stomping drums as the melody flies on a warmly expansive synth, resonant with joyful fire, while the bass cadence presses on.

Orchestral qualities fill the rising synth, molten and full of intensity, while the unstoppable low end pounds. Elevated notes blast out while the charging drums smash hard. Damokles speaks about a future that will involve travel beyond the stars. Flipping, twirling synth shines while the pounding beat intensifies before the track comes to an end.

Dark notes move as the voiceover speaks of activating a “Synaptic Interface.” Bubbling notes rush as the windy sweep grows in power and tumbling notes move. The beat is aggressive while the seismic bass charges and the melody accelerates with thrilling dynamism. Damokles has a haunting and powerful tone as the pummeling bass and ticking drums push on.

After an exhalation, a digital-sounding synth rocks with explosive motion and an 8-bit sound bleeps. Sensations of an unbelievable future fill the voiceover as raised notes shimmy with a melody full of hopeful, progressive motion. The vocals echo with mysterious feeling while the rhythm pumps, driving the muscled low end.

High notes cascade with digital light as the rushing beat pulsates like fiber optic signals. As the words echo, I feel myself full of future premonitions while the mechanized low end throbs. The twisting synth wriggles with a smooth, futuristic sensation while Damokles chants and the song comes to an end.

We’ve been given a synaptic interface by scientists and the storyteller says, “It will change the world we live in, the entire human race.” We’ll be able to “be who you want to be, see what you want to see.” He says that as we “emerge from reality, we’ll finally be free.”

Conclusion

Then Again is a worthy album for Damokles to bring back to life. It has a fresh sound compared to his more recent work, different enough while still retaining what makes his music such a great experience, along with songs that genuinely entertain me.

Don Eastland - Lost Letters

Review by Karl Magi

Don Eastland’s Lost Letters takes us on a journey through love, desire and belonging. The way in which the artist combines his hushed, beautifully touching voice with engaging melodies and rich musical textures create an enjoyable listening experience.

“Lost Letters” comes to life as a ‘phone rings and electric guitar drifts. Don Eastland’s silky voice carries the narration, explaining how he has evolved as a person. A guitar floats with affectionate gentleness while the soft voice over adds to the peaceful sensations and the guitar echoes before silence falls.

The narrator delivers an emotive monologue: Hey stranger - I realize that I'm probably not the person you once knew. I've grown, I've danced, I loved and I lost but most of all I lived, I dreamed. You should see me now! I hope that you find me in this - my heart, my soul, the pieces of me. These are my lost letters.

Deeply soothing notes drifting into pastel peace start “Tattoo”. Don Eastland’s voice is woven with yearning, carrying an affecting melody above the indigo cloud glowing from behind. His vocals shiver with hurt and desire while the rhythm brushes lightly, touching me with sensitive warmth.

Now the beat throbs with sharpened edges and clean drums as Don Eastland adds his voice, veined with ache, as a deep synth growls. The background radiates emotion as the vocals slip past with velvety feeling and the shaping rhythm slides easily. His singing is luscious and intensifies the meaning of the words. As the softly spreading background exudes moonlight, affection permeates the lyrics with inevitable need before the song ends.

All of the memories of the song's subject crash down on the storyteller like "silent whispers in the dark, like lethal wounds and open scars." Like the soft breath of an oceanic wind, "memories of you crash down on me." He says it’s "like a tattoo I can't move," and just as the moon guides the tides, he’s bound to the other person.

As he falls hard, the narrator doesn’t let go because he knows the relationship is what he wants and more. He keeps returning to the other person because "desire burns like the rising sun, it’s raining down with a quiet hum." He adds that just as "the desert craves the shore, I need your shades of blue once more." He concludes, "Just like a tattoo, I'm stuck on you. What can I do?"

Solidly undulating, heavy notes support a raised synth that gleams like a distant sunset to commence “Back Down”. Don Eastland’s voice is joined by swelling, shining sounds that heighten the emotional complexity of the song. The chorus flies with unfulfilled need while the synth exudes brightness like street lights.

The punching rhythm and heavy drums evoke the highway rushing past, while Don Eastland’s soulful voice takes hold of me. Once again, the chorus coruscates with desire as the low end batters. The beat keeps guiding, undulating beneath the distinctive vocals, while tapping drums accelerate. Chimes flash as the deep pulse pushes forward and the chorus rises again, releasing blinding brilliance before the song ends.

As Saturday night winds down, the narrator figures he should head home with friends, but his mind starts to drift because "my only thought is you." He’s speeding down a one-way road, but he loves it, even though he can’t reach the song’s subject.

He admits he’s out of control but says, "The thought of touching you, it won’t back down." He speaks of "chasing the light that's in the wind" on a never-ending ride. He concludes, "Feels like the night is young but the song is fading and my only thought is you."

“Blind Love” opens as quickly intertwining, brilliant synth moves with rapidly trickling percussion. Don Eastland expresses overwhelming passion as his gauzy voice floats with caressing sensations while the rushing notes in the distance shimmer. A faint drum beat gives the music form as Don Eastland's voice grows in strength, carrying the rising memory full of irresistible need.

Echoing vocal sounds move with oscillating notes that create an interwoven motif. The sincerity of Don Eastland’s voice pulls me into the song as he carries the melody’s exuberance. The drums continue to pulsate while the bass scuds past. Softly enchanting vocals cry out as the tumbling notes move. The words are delivered with unalloyed feeling before the song stops.

The narrator and the song’s subject find themselves alone together, which is "the perfect time to call our own." They both realize that there's something between them which the narrator says is true. He adds, "Burning desire is all that's inside, I know you want it, your eyes tell no lies."

Blind love has overtaken them and it's all that he can see. He is "forever bound, forever yours," and he adds that "if love is war then I want more." The feeling between them is strong and our storyteller wants to become one with the other person. He concludes, "You know it's true between me and you."

Delicate chimes are joined by a sax which aches to start “One Shot”. Don Eastland’s voice trembles with loss and hurt while the sax’s reedy emotion fills the song before echoing percussion slaps into the music. The vocals are tentative and full of longing, enfolding me in feeling while trickling notes glint.

The sax is soulful and warm before the chorus jumps in again, conveying the raw emotions within the words. Subtle percussion drifts as the spinning synth sings. The sax unwinds in the background, overflowing with loss, as the track glides to a close with the vocals surrounding me.

"This bottle is holding my free fall," the narrator confesses. He wonders if the song’s subject is missing him and asks, "Have you found your peace?" He questions if the other person is listening and admits, "I can't hear your sound so I think I'll drown these thoughts with another round."

After taking one shot, our storyteller toasts his enemy and says that shot has him down on his knees. He adds, "One shot gives me what I thought I need." He asks, "Why is it not helping me?" before concluding, "This kill is mine, no I can't deny, I won't even try. Deep down I know you find you're better off without me."

“Young Boy” begins with dawn-touched synthesizer pulses that are joined by Don Eastland’s gauzy voice, carrying the gently aching melody. The massive drums throb with strength and the background suffuses the music with pink clouds. Memory Design's production is so luscious and layered here.

Don Eastland’s voice is powerfully vulnerable, surrounded by a synth that unfolds in ribbons of light. Percussion propels as the resonant vocals carry the plaintive melody above scintillating tones. cavernous drums roll as the chorus unfolds with hopeful need.

A cascade of flickering synth rises up, while the track pulses with a strong heartbeat. Don Eastland’s voice shakes with the need for change, gripping my heart with its emotional depth. The huge tones swirl with billowing lushness while the chorus dances and the broadly glowing notes intertwine.

The drumbeat’s propulsive strength presses forward as the vocals leap out, pouring emotion into every note. The swelling synthesizer rises once more before falling silent.

The narrator speaks to his younger self, saying, "You're on your own, so lick your wounds and carry on." He points out, "You've come so far and seen the world," but asks if that’s what he truly desires.

He’s “tired of chasing shelter in the pouring rain” as he searches for a savior in a shadowy dream. He reflects that "life goes up and down, time goes round and round," questioning when he’ll be found. He wonders, "Tell me in the end, what we found?"

His tires have left the road and he asks if they’ll ever make it home. Finally, he acknowledges that he has been “living on life’s edge” and asks, “But when will I find paradise?”

Matt Goodluck - Portals

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Matt Goodluck’s Portals reflects a singular musical vision and carries me on a journey through beautiful sonic moments and uniquely expressed emotions. The artist has a charming ability to weave together synth and guitars to drift through atmospheric landscapes and meditative states. His melodic writing is engaging and the way in which he mingles tones, timbres, and sonic textures creates ear-pleasing mental imagery. As the music unfolds, it truly opens portals to other worlds and states of mind, pulling me along and creating a fulfilling listening experience.

I am bowled over by Matt Goodluck and his guests compositional creativity. The music is full of superbly combined auditory qualities, with melodies that move in fresh directions and convey powerful feelings with clarity and purpose. Whether they are evoking intergalactic drifting or the endless sands of a desert planet, they do so with skill and passion. As a result, Portals bursts with wonderfully realized imagery and expression. Each track explores somewhere new and I am eager to go along with it.

All of the guitar playing on Portals further endears me to it. Matt Goodluck and his guests are talented players, channeling psychological states and vivid imagery through their instruments. They lift me above the mundane and transports me to places I’ve never been. Their musical skill allows them to be first-rate tour guides through the soundscapes and emotions that unfold as the music progresses.

For me, the ability of Portals to reveal other worlds and visions of reality is deeply enjoyable. There is a sense of adventure and opening vistas that permeates every song. I am a willing participant in Matt Goodluck’s voyages through time and space.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Shifting Sands” comes to life as trembling tones swirl with softly intertwining synths and an electric guitar which drifts with soothing motion. The percussion rebounds to contribute a strong rhythm as the guitar swirls like sand running across the dunes. The beat creates a steady pulse as the subterranean bass moves and a broadly floating synth transmits visions of vast emptiness.

The bubbling notes add roundness as a distorted voice wanders with unsettling sensations. As steadily vibrating notes roam, the guitar hovers like sand slowly blowing in a steady wind. Rippling notes flicker as the threatening bass rumbles and fades before air breathes through psychedelically disembodied notes.

Images of endless horizons, full of rolling dunes, permeate the music. I feel as though I am traveling across this landscape, continually washed by hot wind. Tony Lopresto’s guitar adds minor-key cascades while the beat rebounds and crystalline notes shimmer. The drum beat and bass are hypnotic while the guitar levitates with fragility and the track slides into quiet.

Towering, shadowy notes move around an auroral synth to commence “Dark Waters”. Weightlessness permeates the glowing synth as the low end adds shape. A slowly undulating note pattern trails through the music, while the percussion adds a lightly shaping pattern.

Gliding notes create placid sensations while elevated sounds glimmer softly and the bass adds weight. I find the music conjures up floating feelings for me. Trickling notes add to the aquatic sensibility while the lightly touching melody is joined by expansive sounds.

The tempo accelerates with a ticking beat and Tony Coppola’s washing bass adds rich depth while bending notes slip past. The main melody evokes eddying water while the lambent notes provide a contrast to the heavy bass. The music drifts along smoothly while Tony Lopresto’s entangling guitar transmits pure serenity and the percussion adds form. Notes tumble briefly before the track breathes out once more and silence falls.

“Synergy” starts with distantly revolving notes moving into softly hissing space. Cosmic wafting fills the widely trembling, metallic tones as they slip past above fragile arpeggios while percussion rattles. The resonant tones play through the music with disconnected grace, shimmering like far-off starlight.

A widely echoing synth vibrates with freedom as the delicate notes carry a melody exuding contemplative peace. Andy Salvanos’ Chapman stick has a planetary glisten as a tremulous synth shimmers with ancient light. Entangling notes surround me as the Chapman stick glints softly and the bass ripples. I am transported by this thoughtful, heartfelt piece through the broad star fields beyond the edge of our galaxy.

Drifting tones wander with restrained elegance and warmly breathing strings flicker. A quickly flashing synth evokes cosmic space, weightless and unmoored, as the Chapman stick rapidly skips to create a hypnotizing pattern. As twisting sounds wriggle in the distance, the strings cry with hurt and the guitar carries me away. A hissing sound, like cosmic dust, brushes past before the track finishes.

Crackling static and intimidating bass with an absently floating sound travels through to open “Dune”. Electric bass tangles with shadowy weight as the hissing wind continues. A softly tripping sound moves with the desert wind and a spectral-toned instrument descends mysteriously as a strumming guitar adds a unique feeling.

Vocal-sounding notes drift as the guitar evokes an ancient stringed instrument, carrying wisdom as the percussion locks into a slamming groove. The choral synth roams with nomadic grace while interlocking drums add to the otherworldly feeling. Voices echo with a timeless, enigmatic sensibility as rattling tones in the distance sound like bones in the wind.

Skittering noises create tension while an elevated, squirming sound drifts and the throbbing weight below thunders. Raised notes cry out as the heavily rebounding drum beat continues. I am hypnotized and captivated, my mind filled with images of endless sand dunes and the survivors who live in them.

Wind sweeps as the tapping percussion moves with slowly descending, caressing notes that float while the strings call out with minor key magic, weaving a desert melody that flows like endless wind. Hollow percussion pops as the wind blows and the track falls silent.

“After Hours” begins with rushing traffic and open-sounding drums while flaring notes glide. Clapping percussion moves with shifting tones, then sharp edged synth carries a laid-back melody. There’s a chilled-out cruise to the music that relaxes me as tautly unwinding sounds contrast with a crystalline synth lattice.

As the percussion throbs, the tightly unwinding synth skips while hard-edged bass slices and the drums brush past. Tapping sounds in the distance mix with pattering percussion as laser-like notes radiate. Silken sounds glide with nocturnal grace while the percussion continues to pulse.

A minor key synth transforms into an erupting, percussive rush joined by trembling sounds and vocal tones that add a sense of creeping danger. The drum beat is steady while the low end snarls and tumbles before being cut by neon light, shining into the city. Piercing tones glimmer before the music stops.

Flatly rattling and bursting percussive sounds tremble to commence “Visions”. The rhythmic pattern becomes hypnotic as dangerous bass adds ominous undertones. Distantly tapping sounds are unsettling as the vocal clip adds otherworldly strangeness. Gnarled synth brings ghostly sensations while a writhing sound creates crawling discomfort.

Full-sounding notes wander and a string-like synth vibrates as the voiceover speaks of psychoactive substances bringing on alterations in consciousness. The bass continues to oscillate lugubriously while a piercingly gleaming instrument cries out.

Tremulous notes heave as a trickling xylophone conjures reawakening to a new consciousness for me. Dripping sounds move while the hollow background shifts, and a wide-sounding synth unevenly shimmers as rattling notes entangle and swelling depths rise before the track closes.

“Golden Haze” opens with meditative breathing and thoughtful synth along with xylophone-like tones which shiver out in luscious calm. The springy drums throb and the bass pulses while medium-high, soft-edged notes carry a deeply relaxing melody. The rhythm is smooth and hypnotic while clapping percussion adds a clean feel.

Bouncing notes frolic as delicate energy permeates them above the resonating beat. Fluting, warm tones drift with a misty flow, falling like morning fog pierced by sunlight. Deep voices call out while Tony Lopresto’s guitar evokes sparkling blue sky glimpsed through dissipating fog. Digitally vibrant tones shift as the undulating notes move below, bringing the song to its end.

Massively vibrating sounds begin “Departure” as the guitar churns and fragile chimes gleam. Power radiates from the guitar, creating a sensation of growing strength underneath the faraway bells. Misty light suffuses the background while glowing notes shine like distant galaxies as the bass grows seismic.

A feeling of anti-gravity soaring moves from the bright synth outward, evoking a sensation of slowly rising through a planetary atmosphere, filling me with feelings of horizons opening. The guitar shines with freedom and delicacy while the rhythmic pattern below it generates strength. I can picture a spacecraft waiting on a launch pad, engines beginning to fire for a voyage home.

Everything is still and calm, anticipation hanging in the air while a far-off rumble instills tension. The guitar glimmers like light on the atmosphere’s rim as trembling sounds press in. The main melody breathes out, releasing serenity in preparation for soaring to the stars. The guitar unwinds with subtle elegance, vaporous and glowing, while the background stutters with discomfort.

Sliding notes plane through the music, exhaling calmly as the bright tones gleam softly above the threatening bass. Balance is restored by a gliding synth that rolls smoothly, while distant shivering notes move and a pipe-like instrument echoes. The background rushes rapidly, but as the track finishes, all-pervasive tranquility reigns.

Conclusion

Portals opens the gates of my mind to fresh worlds and musical expressions. With this album, Matt Goodluck skillfully carries me away from a gritty, gray world and conveys me across vast swathes of stars and into realms beyond ordinary consciousness.

Lavallette - Love And Lies

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Lavallette’s Love And Lies brims over with classic '80s synth-pop sounds, a masterful vocal performance from Sophia and exciting melodic and harmonic moments. Without being clichéd, this album hits the '80s sounds right on the button, while also adding fresh ideas and intriguing songwriting. The vocals are engaging and fresh while the synth sounds combine with unique melodic ideas and fascinating audio tones and shadings to draw strong imagery.

Without a doubt, it's Sophia's vocal performance that anchors Love And Lies. Her voice is a flexible, distinctive and beautiful instrument which captures the album’s plethora of emotional states and atmospheres. Whether she's expressing aching pain or defiance, her voice moves from low and lush to soaring and powerful. She's able to capture the essence of the songwriting and deliver it directly to my soul with her voice.

Another reason why Love And Lies draws my attention is the balance of classic sounding 1980s rhythms and synth sounds with innovative and frankly cool ideas. There is a melodic and harmonic balance to the music which I find intoxicating, keeping my ears interested as the different synth tones and instruments weave together into one luscious whole. I especially enjoy the interesting melodies which the artist writes because they embody the mood of each song well.

I also enjoy the atmospheric nature of the music which paints intense imagery across each track, filling in the background and supporting the vocals and songwriting. Each song is a journey which is initiated by the vocalist and completed by the instrumental backing. The end result is music which I can go back and listen to repeatedly and always discover something new.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Summer Rain” starts with a reverberant synth swelling as Sophia's fresh voice and a jumping guitar join. Cosmic light suffuses the melodic synth as Sophia's captivating voice exudes fervent sentiment. The pounding low end is joined by the guitar’s shining glow as the rhythm punches strongly and the synth beams like sunlight cutting through fading clouds. Sophia’s performance draws me into the song’s atmosphere.

The guitar knots with brilliance and the bursting percussion interlocks with the bass while lusciously soaring vocals climb with dynamic resolution. Diamond-like cadences flow and the track throbs to an end with Sophia's voice.

As the narrator feels the warmth of the song's subject, she asks them to “keep your eyes on me” because she knows they can feel it too. She says that she'll “fight the pain, fight for love” as she senses it coming like “summer rain.”

Even if the other person pushes her away, she'll return for more. She declares that she can take the storm. She asks the song’s subject to “tell me what you're thinking” as she encourages them not to give up on her. She concludes, “I can't take you leaving, stay until the sun goes down.”

Quickly tripping, rebounding sounds move over the thunderously punching low end to kick off “Drive Me Crazy.” Here the singer showcases her low vocals, deep and rich like black coffee, as echoing sounds and a heartbeat thumps. A far-reaching sound slides past as the vocals climb higher, shivering with intensity as the intermingling synth skips with sunny radiance.

The undertones are thick as gossamer notes flow while the drums thunder. I enjoy the way in which the vocals veer between exasperation and desire. Fat tones bend and Sophia's voice rises, catching the depth of need while still expressing annoyance at the antics of the main character. Raised notes bubble with neon-lit dynamism while the vocals repeat a hypnotic chant until silence falls.

Feeling like she’ll lose her mind, our storyteller says her heart is being pulled from left to right “on the brink of insanity” but the song's subject is all hers. She adds, “I can't breathe when you're with me, you call me baby and disappear.” In spite of this, she admits that they’re like a drug and all she needs. She asks the other person to “take my heart and set me free.”

Now the narrator wants the other person to “ready your shot and take your aim” because she'll continue to play their games. She wonders aloud, “what can I say?” as she runs in circles to keep up and admits she can't “work my head around the shit you do.” She feels the subject makes a fool of her but concedes, “it's all over for me, I'm too addicted to you.”

“Let Me Go” opens as a darting synth moves with gentle piano chords and faraway, drifting vocals. Now Sophia’s voice adds devotion while slowly ticking, percussive sounds move. diaphanous, sparkling notes skip above the colossal rhythm as a gauzy synth floats with a distantly haunting feeling.

The way in which the singer moves between love and a need for escape comes through as the pan pipes exhale. The huge beat batters heavily while jagged notes growl. Like the words themselves, the music is layered and full of contradictions, while a solar synth flashes as the heavily pounding low end towers. A surging synth blasts out brilliance while the drums collide with the thick bass and the words call with zeal above the broadly hitting drums before the song ends.

It can be difficult when one doesn't know "what we have or where we're going," but the narrator is staying up "every night wishing for something to ignite the spark in us." She reassures the song's subject that she isn't going anywhere because "right here is where we need to be."

Our storyteller asks the other person to "just hold on, take me as I am or let me go." In the next breath, she admits she doesn't want to be let go. At the age of 17, "between the dragon slaying and when we grew up," she spent days "looking for a way through the mirror and the lies."

She concludes, "don't give up, stay with me," because where they are is where they need to be. She adds, "stay with me, blame it on me for the last time."

Quickly springing, hollow notes move with lightly flickering sounds to open “Wasted Love.” The bass rebounds with the clean drums as Sophia adds a bittersweet feeling while the quickly rippling, glistening synth frolics. The singer reflects the hurt and anger in the lyrics as the drums smash while the guitar snarls and dances. Sharp-edged keys move with the heavy bass.

Blindingly bright notes skim past while exhaling pipes float and colossal percussion shatters. Sophia expresses relief and freedom, imbuing me with those feelings. As shiny notes rise with brilliance, the percussive maelstrom batters out and levitating notes shimmer. The rapidly charging synth trips past while impassioned words fly and the song comes to an end.

Our storyteller is looking for an answer to "soothe my soul, baby" as she asks to be taken away, saying "these are the nights we remember." Unsure of where she's going, she isn't too concerned about where she ends up. She doesn't need to be, because it was at times like these that the song's subject said they’d never leave her. Instead, they deceived her and nearly broke her.

Memories of all the things that went wrong stay in the narrator's mind as she adds, "I don't know where we went wrong and I don't care what you did wrong," because the song's subject hurt her for no reason, so they've used up their second chances. She adds that she spent too much time on the other person and they altered who she was.

Unafraid, our storyteller has returned—having survived and now feeling alive. The other person has heard enough and her reply is, "I don't love you any longer, now go get yourself lost." If the other person needs her they can "go cry." She adds, "So sorry to say, you hurt me for the last time, now I'm going to get mine.”

“Man Enough” starts with a choir calling powerfully as the piano briefly intermingles. Now the low end pulsates while Sophia carries the mysterious, haunting melody as bells ring. The rhythm is ferocious while the lyrics add defiance and strength and the cascading beat adds propulsion. A chugging sound slips in the background while the vocals embody a sense of threat that I find compelling.

Sophia's voice is shot through with midnight feeling as the heavily pumping rhythm is joined by bells striking with energetic luminosity. Notes that echo in the distance carry heavy weight and the guitar trickles and then bursts. RAN lets go with a solo that is powerful and infused with feeling, winding out with intricacy and soul.

The guitar suffuses the music with a burning glow as the singer drives home the song’s message. Once again, RAN rips out a howling riff, agonized and strong, while Sophia thrusts the words home before the track ends.

A shadow moves from her window as the narrator speaks of it blocking "the light beneath my door." She’s frozen in place as the song's subject tells her not to worry. She asks defiantly, "Tell me, are you man enough to burn me to the ground, burn me down?"

The look in the song's subject’s eye reflects "secrets and lies, telling me not to worry." She calls the other person the night’s darkness and "the devil in disguise." She points out that "we're all sinners and vagrants, wishing we'd die young."

As the song concludes, she says, "Little baby, little devil, little darling. My secret, your love. Nothing sinks quite like the depths."

8-bit notes glint like digital signals in the dark to commence “Runaway”. The computerized sounds are joined by Sophia's caressing voice which carries the loving melody while a computerized-sounding synth trembles distantly. Quickly looping notes slip like signals through cables as the vocals carry a message of seizing the moment and living life fully.

Sophia skillfully encapsulates all of the youthful joy within the music, her voice resonating with expression. The drum beat adds balance while luscious bass rolls. In the distance, network dreams shimmer from the synth before the playful beat dances along. Sophia captures all of the sensations within the music with positivity. The tumbling notes move like electrical impulses while the vocals flash like lightning before the song ends.

Musing on how quickly time has passed, our storyteller says, I miss the spark in your eyes, alive but not living. She wants them to escape and disappear so they can forget what people say, as she takes the song’s subject far away. She adds, “let's run away and never look back.” Life is too short for them to hesitate, “so we can be kids again once more. Let's run away and never look back.”

The narrator knows the song’s subject has an aching heart and the days and nights go by on replay. She says they shouldn't waste any more time feeling stuck: run away with me, baby and I'll stay forever, always. She concludes that they should forget about tomorrow's worries and let themselves go—just run away.

“Running In The Dark” begins with void-deep bass rumbling along with elevated, fragile notes that shine like distant stars. A synth breathes with soothing tenderness while the raised notes blur like foggy moonlight. The underlying harmonic pattern is trance-inducing as the rhythm glides in and starbursts pour out through the music. The bass is Stygian while a robotic voice speaks and a steady vibration rings like a bell. A cascading synth shivers while the robotic vocals add a synthetic sensation.

Once again, the percussive pattern forms an underpinning as comets flash and lasers slice. Pulsing drums and bass join high notes which twist like spinning galaxies. The melody that moves in glows like distant galactic structures while the pattering beat shifts. I enjoy the feeling of moving through the night, washed by the universe’s light while the electric bass intertwines. The song’s heartbeat is firm while slowly caressing notes spin like Vincent van Gogh’s stars before the track comes to an end.

Fragile radiance shines with tremulous sensations to start “ '80s Love”. Sophie has a throaty warmth to her voice as the percussive elements cascade while the guitar weaves sonic webs and the tapping drums flicker. Sophie captures the song’s wishful spirit. All of the assorted percussive sounds form an underlying support while the vocals float like dandelions on the wind. The synth spills out brightness while the guitar rings with loving, tentative sensations.

The tripping drums slip past while the synth adds a sunset glow and the vocalist tugs at my heartstrings. Bass continues to undulate as the distant vocals whisper and the classic strength of Sophia's gliding voice imbues the music with intense affection. As the gentleness spills out, the drums rebound and the chorus shines happily before digital-sounding notes trickle and silence falls.

It’s a late night on the boardwalk. Our storyteller’s “thoughts roll like the sea as I look for you, the missing part of me.” From winter snowfall till spring bloom, she’ll be waiting for the song’s subject.

The narrator says, “what can I do baby, I need you.” She craves “that '80s love,” saying that she really can't get enough of it. The song's subject is “the one,” so she asks them to give her a chance at “that '80s love.”

The dawn isn't far away, so our storyteller says, “you're the key to my heart, let me hold you closer.” The other person makes her hold the line, so she wants them to stay. She adds, “we will never forget our '80s love, I see the future in your eyes, just take my hand and hold on tight. The stars have aligned for them like our '80s love.”

Conclusion

Love And Lies takes me out of myself and carries me into an alternate 1980s world where synthpop rules and deeply interesting sounds back up emotive singing and expressive songwriting. This is the listening experience I'm willing to continue over and over again.