Peter Gagliardi - Pandora Unlocked: Chrysanthemum Yellow

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Peter Gagliardi’s Pandora Unlocked: Chrysanthemum Yellow is a reflective exploration of the struggles we face in life and as a broader species. The artist combines a powerfully expressive and open journey through his own challenges with fascinating vocal samples that deepen and extend the music’s message. He cloaks the journey in unique synth sounds, superbly composed melodies that drive home the feelings he wishes to convey and an atmospheric welter of intense emotion.

The first thing that stands out to me about Pandora Unlocked: Chrysanthemum Yellow is the atmosphere created by Peter Gagliardi. He takes hold of the difficult feelings he’s been facing and transforms them into a musical painting, one that clearly illustrates the mixture of despair, loss, darkness and slow healing through which he’s traveled. The way he uses music to capture and convey these complicated emotions results in an album that is both moving and powerfully gripping.

Another element I want to comment on is the way in which Peter Gagliardi uses vocal samples. He’s taken great care in choosing the clips, finding pieces that complement Pandora Unlocked: Chrysanthemum Yellow’s message. He draws from news reports and old radio shows that explore everything from world events to science fiction stories, all of which strongly reflect the album’s central ideas.

All of the different synth sounds used by Peter Gagliardi contribute to the depth and power of Pandora Unlocked: Chrysanthemum Yellow. He has carefully chosen a unique palette of tones that move between shadow and light, between weight and delicacy. Sometimes the synths loom in horror and other times they drift with melancholy longing. Each sound combines to weave a richly expressive tapestry as the album unfolds.

Peter Gagliardi’s melodies are beautifully composed and drive home the feelings and sensations he imbues in every track. The melodies shift between lurking danger, gentle contemplation and aching emotion, carried on synths that perfectly match their qualities and give them deeper meaning. The harmonic language of the album is rich and beautiful as it unfolds, drawing me further into the artist’s sonic world.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Guilty Scenario” begins with wistfully drifting notes and a clip of Richard Nixon speaking as a steady throb of drums matches a quickly intermingling tonal pulse. As the weight of the rhythm pounds, a sample speaks of emotional crisis and the erosion of trust while floating chimes drift as Ronald Reagan speaks of doubt and painful struggle. This track skillfully captures tension, conflict and a deep sense of guilt.

Raised notes sparkle with soft light as the xylophone-like pattern spins hypnotically. The bass is heavy as sharply glistening notes carry out while the beat bursts. The lead synth is fragile as underlying tones flicker with unevenly glittering light rounded sounds skip past. A clip of Bill Clinton drifts in, mingling with Justin Trudeau and Richard Nixon, all speaking about guilt and systemic failure. Twinkling notes twirl as high sounds glitter and the tense bass rumbles before the track slides to a close.

As a heavily thumping bassline moves in, gliding tones carry a lighter melody to start “Rudiments of the System.” The forceful bass has a slightly threatening presence as the drums punch hard and fragile chimes repeat a trance-inducing pattern. Strings swell with aching tenderness as the surging low end adds shadowy strength. The lead synth shines with pearlescent radiance and carries an aching melody.

Another vocal clip captures a miner’s union leader speaking about standing up to oppression. Bubbling sounds wash through the background as the speech creates rousing emotion. Flickering strings dance beneath the minor-key melodic pattern, filling me with a sense of nervousness and approaching danger.

A tone trumpets with nobility, flowing through the music with loss and unbound feeling. The higher notes drift with ghostly emotion, piercingly sharp, as ringing chimes flash. Choppy vocal sounds move as the arpeggios spin. The union leader speaks of seeking fair wages and compensation for the danger they face. Hollowly glimmering notes wander, open percussion trembles and the main melody glides as the track ends on the fighting words of the speaker.

“Hypnotic Drift” opens with easily pulsing drums as a steady tone shivers with slightly nervous sensations. The drums reverberate and echo as a far-off sound slowly shifts, creating a sense of uncertainty. The bass is thick as the swelling notes above it move into a melody with a hint of shadow and a sense of calm. The lower notes flow outward with a rich tone while the minor key, ringing synth trembles and fills me with a haunted feeling.

A massive beat underlays as the raised notes trail ghostly sensations while a vocal sample speaks about self-hypnosis and airy sounds flow outward. As a grounding pulse fills the track with a trance-inducing sensation, a piano and a string-like synth wash with tranquil sensibilities, carrying me into that hypnotic state of which the vocal sample speaks.

Lush tones are cut by sharper notes while the oboe-like synth adds a melancholy tenderness as the foundation continues to pulsate. The piano shines with fragility and rounded tones sing before silence falls.

Delicately descending sound floats as a 1950s science fiction sample moves to commence “Final Phase.” Majestically expansive synth spreads outward with spinning arpeggios that create dramatic tension. The main melody is full of remembrance and a sense of inevitable forward motion, while the vocal samples create a feeling of increased threat and looming challenge.

Flickering, cascading notes fall above the heavily punching force below. The vocal sample is full of worry and fear as the metallically shining synth carries a nervous and painful melody. I enjoy the way the whole track surges with tension. Everything fades to a steady beat as scrambled sounds wriggle and the vocal sample speaks of reaching a crux.

Slashing notes lacerate above a heavily reverberant synth as a more uplifting, positive sound slides into the music. The main melody glimmers with hurting nobility before a thunderous bass sound descends. Arpeggios continue to spin while the vocal sample talks about challenge and failure before the music closes.

“Everything Severed” begins with an oscillating rhythm and a xylophone carrying a disconnected melody that glitters with fragility and soft light. The drums add another level of weight below the ethereal chimes that flash with vulnerable luminosity. The middle range is carried by a plaintive synth that calls out in dreamy lines while the bass contributes depth.

The drums drop as dark sounds surge and a tracery of piano notes slips past. Exhalations fill the music with breathiness, contrasting the shadows. I enjoy the mingled emotions that come together to touch me in this track. As distant percussion trembles, lightly touching notes levitate above the forceful underlying power.

Once again, the darting chimes contribute soft radiance while the low end surges with threatening power. The drums thunder now with intimidating mass while the sharp sounds slice and phantasmic notes ascend. The main melody moves above the charging heaviness with aching longing while the drums pound.

A bending sound wanders with unsettling feelings while widely rippling notes sparkle. Below the other musical elements, heaving weight threatens while the beat thuds and above it open-sounding notes bubble and pop with iridescent light. The quickly tapping rhythm drops again and static crackles uncomfortably while distant sounds hover and the track ends.

Galactic sounds tremble as a radio transmission repeats to start “Eclipse in the Abyss.” Cosmic wind sweeps past as rattling sounds shift, creating an almost insectile clicking. The muffled voice moves like transmissions through outer space while alien sounds vibrate and chirr.

Bass swells up as the audio sample creates more spacey sensations while a guitar-like synth carries a melody that glides with cosmic delicacy, like a finely intertwined web of stars. Xylophone adds a ringing quality while the guitar-like notes shiver and nebular brightness flashes from a twisting tonal pattern.

Warm notes rise with a sense of starry brightness, glimmering on the edge of planet rise. I am transported into open space and wafted along as the solar winds float. The piano is tentative and tragic as tapping sounds echo and the track breathes to an end.

“Nowhere Optimist” opens as massive bass surges while a vocal sample speaks of another planet that mirrors our own. The drums thunder in steady action as the sample describes how this identical world works. Softly surging tones are joined by piano drifting in spectral lines, detached and full of lost sensations. As the sample fills the music with its message of a mirror world, twinkling notes repeat above the thudding beat.

I find myself drifting in thoughtful motion, touched by eerie feelings as resonating notes intertwine. An elevated, fluting sound shifts as a jingling synth adds tentative illumination and the melody carries with a shadowy, melancholy edge. The vocal sample deepens the haunting sensation as the minor-key synth emphasizes the growing sense of dread beneath the surface.

The battering rhythm grows in power, then fades as the ringing tones drift and the bass seethes with gathering gloom. Disembodied chimes levitate while the hard-hitting low-end pattern continues to drive, until rising fear and anger dissolve into silence.

Tremulous, darkly rising synth moves in an uncomfortable line to commence “Hope Falling Dark.” A lugubrious piano flows with mournful emotion as distant sounds hover and an ominously elevated note pattern is joined by descending bass. Clanking percussion begins to vibrate as a void-deep feeling grumbles. Elevated strings shiver with worry and creeping discomfort as a descending tonal pattern is joined by fiercely entangling bass.

The beat and rattling metal percussion create unsettling strength while a woodwind-like instrument drifts with aching emptiness. Bells rain while throbbing, clashing drums and thick bass intermingle. I am surrounded by feelings of loss and pain that pierce me as the music evolves. The woodwind synth cries with tragic sensations while bright strings flash with intense radiance. The foundation of the track is weighty as iridescent notes tremble above it. The main melody has a spectral, misty feeling as the beat pulsates. Metallic sounds twine together as the underlying synth swells and the music ends.

“Departure” comes to life as slowly wandering notes shift above a densely swirling bass cloud. The main melody feels far off and broken, reflecting a bereft sensation full of mourning. An evenly vibrating, xylophone-like synth repeats a hypnotizing pattern as incredibly colossal bass thrums. In the distance, a fragile synth brushes through the music with airy exhalations, carrying tenderness.

The xylophone has a caressing feeling while the sharper notes around it sweep with constrained threat. The sharper melody carries a minor-key shading while the xylophone shines with something more encouraging. The interlocking layers fill me with complex, confusing emotion, but even in the sharper-edged melody, there are hints of light. The bass surges while the drifting xylophone shimmers. Underneath it all, the bass architecture rumbles before the track breathes softly into silence.

Conclusion

Pandora Unlocked: Chrysanthemum Yellow affects me deeply with its exploration of the struggles that Peter Gagliardi (and frankly many of us) have faced in life. The way he combines synths, vocal samples and well-composed melodies creates a journey through what it means to be human and live in this complicated, confusing world.

PantherWolfe - Vegas Vice

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

PantherWolfe’s Vegas Vice takes listeners on a wild ride through a classic buddy cop movie from the '80s. The artist interweaves first-rate melodies with interesting synth choices to invoke neon-lit car chases, stealthy surveillance and ever-present danger. As the album unfolds, the artist draws us further and further into the storyline, using his music to create cinematic vignettes that capture the best elements of classic ’80s police action movies.

Atmosphere plays a major role in the success of Vegas Vice. PantherWolfe imbues the music with excitement, tension and a frisson of danger. I can picture the roar of a powerful V8, our two characters moving cautiously with every sense on alert toward their target and their celebration when the case is solved. The artist's ability to transport listeners into his world is something I quite enjoy.

Melody is another strong aspect of Vegas Vice. PantherWolfe creates melodic moments that stir remembrance of every ’80s cop movie I’ve enjoyed in a unique way. He doesn’t go for cliché but wraps his sounds and melodies in constructions that are both well-crafted and fun to hear. I enjoy the full spectrum of emotions he creates from pulse-pounding fear to triumphant success. The overall emotional strength of the melodies enhances the cinematic effect.

As for his synth choices, PantherWolfe has picked a range of sounds that add to the overall feeling of the music. Each track has a well-thought-out palette that deepens the sense of connection for the listener and conveys the mood sought by the artist. The end result is an album that keeps one’s ears pricked for new and different sounds while always keeping engagement high.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Vegas Vice” comes into being as a widely reverberating synth creates a dramatic entrance for flaring notes that arc in with electrifying energy. The main melody snarls as the pounding rhythm accelerates past highway speed. Neon-bright luminosity flickers through the music as the melody invokes high-speed chases down midnight highways, creating cinematic imagery in my mind.

The beat is unrelenting as the clashing drums erupt while the main melody leaps with intense luminosity and the track exudes rousing dynamism. As the propulsive underpinnings hammer, the melody explodes, creating an impression of dogged pursuit and indomitable force, reflecting the characters in the story. Iridescent notes trip as the background swirls and the rhythm lashes out ferociously.

The drums drop away as the tensely twirling tones leap and an accelerating sound cries out. Once again, the main melody speeds through the music with pulse-quickening pace before the track ends.

Heavily heaving bass rumbles with fierce force to commence “Cool Whip.” The active drums cascade as dark piano notes move and the guitar slices with raging strength. A shiny synth flows with energizing incandescence as the drums and bass create massive rhythmic flow.

Raised notes with a computerized sound cry out while the guitar seethes. The base architecture is dense while technological notes wriggle with razor-edged muscle. I feel myself compelled by the edgy reverberations within the music.

The robotic sounds add sharp angles to the more smoothly flowing high notes, exuding flashing light while the crunching synth and piano mingle as the drums cascade and silence falls.

“

Night Glitch” begins as bouncing, threatening bass moves with surging, dangerous notes. A taut sound raises the tension as the drums batter with tempestuous force, accelerating to a blurring speed. The rhythm is fierce and the melody radiates a bone-chilling threat, permeating the music with dire energy.

The drums smash while the sawtoothed synth cuts hard and elevated, writhing notes shiver through the music. The low end shatters against the raging notes that fill me with a sense of impending doom. Once again, the drums crash with ferocity and the elevated notes cry out in fear before the track ends.

Electronic sounds flash to start “Slinky Cool” as the reverberant beat throbs. The main melody is carried on a synth that crackles with galvanic verve, full of a sharp jazziness. Mysterious notes burn with dark intensity before the skipping beat drives forward beneath the melody, which burns with fluorescent brightness. The way the track flies while creating tension is enjoyable to me.

The rhythm is clean and clear, pushing forward as the melody takes on an air of warmth despite its enigmatic nature. A xylophone flickers in a delicate filigree while the stomping low end moves. The main melody adds an energizing pulsation to the kicking drums, which intertwine sharply. As the track progresses, the low end speeds again while a synth solo cascades, imbuing the music with robotic dynamism before the track fades out.

The frolicking melody jumps with angular energy as the broken beat slowly pulses to open “Case Cracker.” The bass rebounds with sharp motion as the drums collide and the main melody reflects the anticipation of breaking a big case. Chord changes add shading while the main melody jumps with growing confidence, filling me with the thrill of the chase.

The drums accelerate as the glowing melody imbues the music with a heightened sense of progress. As the dynamic chords change, the bass floor throbs and the lead synth generates increased anticipation.

The notes become smoother and more gentle before the beat is broken by trickling, cascading sounds that trip past. Digital tones flash before the tom hits move in. Trembling notes vibrate and the lead synth’s bright tones convey a pursuit and its resolution. As the song ends, the melody continues to fill the music with keen confidence before the music stops.

“Dead of Night” starts with a driving underpinning as the percussion collides and a dark tone swells while technological noises add a futuristic element. The elevated synth is silky smooth and peaceful while the beat presses on. As fluttering percussion shifts, tiny sounds echo with robotic precision.

The lead synth has a gently haunting quality as it carries the drifting main melody, wrapping around me with calm precision. The saxophone adds contrasting, reedy sound as gleaming notes levitate and the seething low end contributes a lurking sense of danger. Choppy saxophone and contrastingly fervid notes move above the powerfully surging rhythm.

As the drums flourish, the lead synth drifts with gently sliding sensations. I can imagine our characters creeping through a darkened warehouse, alert to every sound as their hearts race. The track ends with the saxophone crying out and the beat pulsing.

Softly flowing, mysterious tones move to kick off “Glory Guts.” The rhythm is a throbbing heartbeat as a piano moves with gentle elegance while the pounding bass forms an underpinning. The active percussion dances as worshipful sounds in the distance glide and a trumpeting synth trades off with a guitar, creating an exciting sound.

The beat moves with cascading drums as the lead synth gives off a steady glow. A sense of growing resolution moves through the music, drawing me onward. I can picture our two characters coming to a realization of how they can bring the crime spree to an end.

The main melody launches with urgency, the synth keenly slicing while rippling notes tremble. Once again, the drums reverberate and the steady note pulsation forms an interwoven pattern. The revelation of nearly having the case closed flows like a powerful tide through the music. As the scudding rhythm moves along, flaring notes are cut by the fiercely shining guitar and ringing synth before the music ends.

“Winner’s Horizon” starts as a piercingly bright synth carries a victorious fanfare above luminous chords while huge drums rebound. The tightly wound lead synth is joined by massively powerful bass, creating an impression of ultimate triumph. The music is filled with celebratory strength as the detectives reach their goal.

I enjoy the feeling of final success that permeates the music while the main melody exudes exciting brightness. A shining synth fanfare leaps with encouragement and release as staccato notes slice with a sense of achievement, while nasally glittering tones form a cutting pulsation and elevated sounds drift.

The piano adds richness while diamond notes shimmer and the fanfare gleams with ecstatic freedom as the leaping drums charge forward and the track concludes.

Conclusion

Vegas Vice creates its own world as it unfolds and I find myself inexorably drawn into that world. As a fan of the movies to which it pays homage, I deeply enjoy the way it harks back while still sounding fresh and pin-sharp. This is definitely music I can keep listening to and always enjoy.

Hotel Pools & Brothertiger - Paradigms

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Hotel Pools & Brothertiger’s Paradigms is full of fragility, emotional complexity and serene soundscapes. Hotel Pools contributes his unique sound, full of gentle but melancholy sensations, while Brothertiger writes songs with an affecting reach that radiate the complicated feelings animating our existences. The artists combine their talents to create an album overflowing with touching emotion, beautifully placid moments and a dreamlike sensibility that I find deeply engaging.

Brothertiger’s performance is especially noteworthy on Paradigms. His voice has a floating quality that’s still fully able to convey the lyrics he has written. Those lyrics themselves are rich with the mixed emotions that define human nature. He roams across landscapes of longing, loss and rediscovery as his voice transmits those sensations to the listener with purity.

The musical backing woven by both artists creates a beautiful backdrop for the songs. Moments of deeply pacific contemplation mix with more energetic passages, all washed in pastel tones that exhale peace. As the music unfolds, I find myself gliding on a tide of elegant sound that surrounds and caresses me with aching gentleness.

I also want to reflect on Paradigms’ atmosphere. Each track is drenched in thoughtful elegance, radiating calm and quiet beauty as it unfolds. The album moves with hushed motion, gliding like a breeze through the music, creating moments for thought and introspection. I enjoy how the songs allow me to escape into a quiet place in a noisy world.

My Favourite Songs Analyzed

“Black” comes to life as balmy sounds trickle and pattering percussion moves. Sunlit synth hovers elegantly as it levitates on a background hum. The drum beat drifts in and out while reverberant tones move in the distance.

Brothertiger's voice drips with a wistful feeling, carrying a melody full of hope despite the struggles faced. The rhythm is steady and clean, guiding the words as they slip past. Brothertiger’s deep tones touch me, transmitting the dreamy, aching lyrics. The exhalations of the notes are tender and contrast with the solidly throbbing beat, while the vocals sail past with caressing emotion.

Hotel Pools creates a vibrant backing sound which wraps around Brothertiger’s wonderfully affecting performance. As the raised tones slip by with buoyant lightness, the song closes out.

The storyteller is “farther out than I’ve ever been so far” as he asks the song’s subject to come find him. He says that “out here I can really come apart” as he tries to find illumination in the darkness and a “sliver of a pure heart.”

“Come find me,” our narrator says once more as he speaks of falling into the “trembling unknown.” As he spirals through, mysteries unfold and he is “shivering from the chill of the bitter cold.” He wonders if he’s better for it and concludes that he doesn’t know.

Now the storyteller wonders if the song’s subject will “come to the other side.” He urges them not to hide and to feel it for the first time, reassuring them that he’s all right. Once again, he asks them to come to the other side and not to hide. He concludes, “wait for the sun moving out on the sky.”

A soft crackle moves with hazy notes that are broken by moments of silence before clinking percussion rings metallically to commence “Into the Blue.” The bass is tremendously dense while the percussion adds a sharper tone and the piano carries a melody that stimulates meditative thought.

Brothertiger's voice is full of whispering grace as the tripping beat adds to the shaping rhythm. A positive sensation charges the ethereal vocals with heartfelt emotion, contrasting with the synth which exudes soft-edged luminosity. The rhythm hops, slightly broken, as the vocals caress me with their emotive power. Hotel Pools’ melody is full of delicately shimmering love while the steadily pulsating beat adds guidance.

I enjoy the feelings Brothertiger pours into the lyrics, full of interest in the subject’s well-being. The undertones add a clean sharpness while the vocals keep sliding, velvety smooth and expressive, as the melody glimmers like sunlight catching the edge of a cloud before the track ends on a rhythmic heartbeat.

As the morning waits for him, the narrator's head is in a cloud. Suddenly, he awakens: “the sun it drowns,” and he feels relief as the song’s subject rolls out and slows down. He adds, “I finally found some space to think things out, a little time away to break things down.” He’s relieved to feel the other person come around.

Our storyteller asks for the song’s subject to have a little faith in him because he has faith in them. He speaks of “running away into the blue, finding a way to make it through.” They’re making do but still finding a way as they run off into the blue.

The waves roar at night as the narrator reminds the song’s subject that “you gotta find your way in the flow of life, I can’t believe the way things go sometimes.” He can’t believe the other person is rolling with the tide and suddenly, “lost in the craze of modern life, it’s like I’m running a race in overdrive.” He concludes, “I wanna believe I’ll get across the line, I wanna believe I’m getting close to find.”

“Slow Motion” opens with trembling notes carrying a resonant feeling, moving above gliding vocal sounds and solidly guiding underpinnings. Brothertiger’s wordless voice floats with lightness as the sharply rapping beat pushes forward. The vocals are breathy and full of life, carrying a melody full of relief and relaxation.

The way in which Brothertiger carries the melody is uplifting and fills me with a sense of joy, while a guitar adds levity and hopeful encouragement. The bass weight slides past as the unique percussion gives the music an ear-pleasing dynamism. Brothertiger captures sensations of release and serenity, while the backing synth lends a feathery feeling to the sound.

A broad synth flares out with solar shine, like the first sunlight of a cloudy day, while the low-end architecture forms a shaping bead. Guitar and vocals mingle in restful motion before silence ends the song.

The storyteller asks, “Tell me that you’re going my way,” because he is lacking company. He feels as if he’s “slow motion driving” without any alteration in the hourglass. He finds himself “flyin’ down the lonesome highway, wind pushing on my back” as he hopes that he and the song’s subject can get ahead of the hard rain.

Our narrator says he “could use another tank of gas” as the wind whips by. He wonders if he can “weather this storm” with the other person. He wants to know they’re going his way, because now they’re not a stranger but a friend at last. He concludes, “drifting in slow motion vibing, nothing to do but watch the clouds roll past.”

Aquatic sounds move through the music with a trembling feeling as clean drums snap to begin “Point Break.” Like blue water drifting, the synth slides while Brothertiger’s voice caresses with silky expression, carrying a melody that spreads like ripples on a becalmed ocean. The rhythmic heartbeat presses forward while the gossamer vocals wander.

As the beat moves with a panpipe synth singing a soothing melodic line, the interaction with the wordless vocals is charming and touching. Waves wash as distant tones flutter like sea plants in the current, while the vocals lend a meditative quality to the music. Beneath it all, the steady beat creates rhythmic energy while the vocals shiver.

The panpipe synth creates an airy fragility, hovering above the solid bass weight. An exhalation drifts out before Brothertiger carries the calming melody with feeling. As the track evolves, all the auditory elements combine into one complete expression before the music ends.

The narrator never minds solitude, adding that winter’s brief cold “couldn’t occupy silent moving river wind underneath the warmth of a summer sky.” Two opposites intermingle as he feels “the give and pull from your end of the line.” He and the song’s subject are “opposite but synchronized” as they enjoy the beauty “in the motion of slow life.”

A “barreling wave, closing out so nice” lets the storyteller feel “the point break falling into dive.” Whatever comes their way, they’ll take it all in stride. He asks the song’s subject to “follow my wake to ride that tangled line.” He adds that the other person’s “silence tears me up inside, fearless in devotion.”

Up until now, the narrator says he’ll keep an open mind, despite the other person’s mood being like “an ocean, up and down.” He recognizes shattered dreams and says, “We can make our own way, further out, try to see the good in life, the beauty in the motions, up and down.”

“Haze” opens with densely twisting tones and gossamer chimes. As the bubbling tones shift, pan pipes exhale with fragile sensitivity and the bass rumbles. The guitar tangles smoothly while the snapping percussion cuts through with gliding ease. The main melody is thoughtful as Brothertiger’s whisper-soft vocals exude affection. The way in which the vocals deliver emotive depth is something I find moving.

Rippling notes expand with round depth as distant tones float with satin grace and the rhythm adds a balanced pulse. Breathy notes drift as the chimes gleam with dawn light before the vocals slide again, wrapping around me in a calming tide while the beat continues to shift. Firefly-like light is exuded by elevated notes that delicately skim over the music while tranquility pours out. As the chorus unfolds, ardent emotion fills the song before it ends.

A new cloud appears in the storyteller’s sky as he admits to not feeling like himself lately. He says, “I’m giving this life of mine a new face,” as he asks the song’s subject to stay and take a ride a little late. He adds, “I need you right beside me through the pain, you’re bringing me slowly back to life.” He points out that everything comes back around again.

Our narrator asks, “Why so dramatic?” as he reminds the song’s subject that it’s only them, “so go ahead and grab it.” The other person has found their missing piece and he’ll “break the habit.” He points out that it isn’t meant to be, “so go ahead and grab it, it’s all just memories now.”

It’s fate, the “feeling of floating light in the haze” without a ceiling to hold the storyteller down. He says, “I’m keeping my feelings right at bay, no way I’m comin’ down.” He concludes that the other person can’t “keep feeding fuel into my flame then turn around and say that it’s okay, because the comedown is feeling right as rain, the world keeps spinning ‘round.”

Cosmic chimes float with metallic delicacy as Brothertiger’s dreaming voice levitates to start “Eye to Eye.” The melody longs and reaches for meaning as echoing percussion guides the music. The vocals transmit powerful need while the broadly vibrating synth ripples tidally.

Hopeful tones warm my heart as the steady pulse shapes the track. Reverberant sounds tremble, silken flows drift in the background and ghostly vocals hover with spectral lightness. Caring and kindness infuse the music while sunlit haziness slides beneath the beat’s throb. All of the passion and affection within the track flows out before the song ends.

On his way back “through the thicket of vines,” the storyteller was straying through “the tangling wilds.” He wandered off the path and “could not see through the night,” so he had to “find my way back to your beckoning light.”

The narrator can feel the song’s subject near and wants to “follow by your side” because he hopes it’ll lead to something he never knew he’d find, someone who is “so eye to eye, riding the same line.”

As he returned, the storyteller wondered who could say where he was. He adds, “I could not stay on track through the thicket of brush.” He wonders who would pick him back up if he drifted too far from the path and concludes that he had to “find my way back to your beckoning touch.”

Conclusion

Paradigms carries me on a wonderfully melancholy, dreamy journey across beautifully woven soundscapes that permeate the music with peace and fill me with tranquility. This is music to feel and dream wistfully by.

Tenebran - Heartbleed

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Tenebran’s Heartbleed is an affecting and fascinating sonic journey across varied soundscapes that create contemplation, aching feelings and a sense of exploring new horizons. Tenebran has woven together a plethora of unique tones, timbres, and textural elements that create an enchanting series of pieces. I enjoy the way in which this album drifts and carries me along with the emotive expressions that fill the music. Each track becomes a tiny jewel of sound that combines into one fulfilling whole.

My first observation of Heartbleed is that the soundscapes are beautifully constructed. Tenebran has clearly spent a great deal of time contemplating how he’s going to approach each track and what mood he intends to convey. The way in which he takes unique auditory expressions and combines them into one tapestry is skillful and ear-pleasing. The music reflects all of the intensity of human experience as it unfolds.

Another part of Heartbleed that attracts me is the nature of the melodic content. Each melody that Tenebran composed is full of powerfully moving sensations. There’s no sense of disconnection or blandness within the music rather, there is a compelling feeling of connection and heartfelt sensation. The end result is charming and full of life.

I’d also like to showcase the imagery that unfolds throughout Heartbleed. Each track paints a different picture and engages different parts of one’s psyche. As a result, the tracks combine into a journey that is affecting and emotive.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Dive Into The Blue Of Her Eyes” starts with an ethereal tracery of synth and a softly pattering beat. Glowing sounds infuse the music as the rhythm explodes into active motion and a twisting, low end sound snarls. The bass punctuates the track with thick motion as the raised notes exude starlight. The foundation is dense and sharply slicing while broadly twirling tones fly above.

Distantly glittering synth sparkles like a galactic glow above the continually wrapping drums and bass. The bottom-end motion shapes brilliant notes which fill the music with a lunar halo before the guiding underpinnings move forward. There’s a powerful contrast between the cosmic scintillation of the high end and the dark weight of the low end.

The hypnotic main melody spins out before the drum beat smashes on. Like the darkness between the stars, heavier low notes wrap around the glimmering high notes before the track ends.

Soft night sounds and hushed lines, with a wobbling synth delicately caressing, commence “Just Chillin’.” Bass tumbles and the drums create a punchy rhythm that locks into a chilled-out groove as the background synth pours luscious radiance. The night sounds continue to move as the heavy bass surfs along while the synth chords climb with gargantuan strength, gleaming richly.

Diamond-hard tones shine from the lead synth as it flows while the hard-punching rhythmic pattern presses on. The chord changes give the music a softer sound, contrasting with the heaviness that slams below. The bass pulse undulates as hissing percussion slips through, the background exuding nocturnal calm.

Flaring notes give off gem-like luminosity as flatly tapping percussion moves with shiny, enfolding tones that pour out behind. The drums are ferocious in comparison to the glittering notes that cut through them. The kick drum lands with heavy weight while the gliding synth wraps my ears in gentler sound before the oscillating undergirding slams hard. The track closes as notes drift in a prismatic line before the music finishes.

“Happy End” opens as a fat, blaring synth is joined by a cruising rhythm and shining notes that exude warmth. The scudding tones are feathery as the rough-edged, encouraging lead synth swirls with a caressing sheen. The percussion is sharp and clean while the background rolls with rich sonic layers.

The main melody shines like a blue sky after the clouds have rolled away. Its uplifting nature touches my heart and transports me to a place of joy. The underlying beat is strong while coruscating notes evoke morning’s first glow on my face. The drums continue to throb strongly while a glistening synth washes past like the piercing sun.

Fragile notes tremble as solid bass architecture throbs to start “Hope and Despair.” The notes grow in strength, gleaming confidently, as the percussion flatly pulses and the bass undulates. Peaceful emotion glides out of the bending synth, tinged with hurt and loss, while the background glimmers softly.

Melancholy and contemplation fill the melody while the lusciously singing notes contribute tranquility. The pearly quality of the background adds a silver glow while a golden synth undulates with faceted radiance. Trumpeting notes shine like the sky at dusk, tinged by a pink sunset. High notes flicker like moonlight as a rhythmic pattern shapes the music.

Dreamy melancholy catches me as the track unfolds and my mind is carried away. The lead synth exudes life, capturing all of the mournful affection and hopeful meditation, before the music stops.

“Drive” starts off with deeply bouncing notes and a ferocious bass cascade full of insistent motion. Sharp percussion licks come before the drum beat smacks solidly and the dense synth oscillates in rebounding patterns.

The bass towers as a synth flares with a firefly-like shine, wandering through the music. An auroral glow is exuded by the elevated notes while the string-like tones carry a melody that is slow but unstoppable, washing like bioluminescent tides above the drum beat.

The entangling synth transports me with levitating power as the intense high notes spark with a radiant halo of galactic brilliance. The tripping synth intermingles with the hugely pounding undergirding to propel the track with conviction.

String-like notes carry a melody full of dark mystery as the track drives on, while ethereal synth in the distance shines feverishly. Underneath everything, the hypnotizing heartbeat slides into silence.

A wildly oscillating tonal pulse moves with the gut-punching drums to create irresistible motion as “Run or Die” begins. The drum beat kicks hard as the sharp-edged, shivering synth roams with tremulous energy and radiant high notes sparkle.

Tautly wound notes descend with blazing strength above the forceful percussion and dense rhythm. Smoother sounds glide through the music with meditative energy, carrying me along with them. The sharp rap of the low end mingles with the vaulting melody, crying out with fiery shine as falling notes cut with crystalline brilliance.

The endlessly oscillating synth flashes with fierce, engaging fire while the percussion and bass shove the track forward with propulsive drama. As the track ends, gentle sounds sail out into silence.

“Best Life” comes into being with notes that shine with encouragement above a sharply punching rhythm. Crystalline illumination pours from the lead synth as it spills dreamily above the heavy underpinnings. Tumbling weight thrums as the snapping beat pushes forward beneath the irradiating notes that call out with a feeling of liberation as the heavy bottom end pulses.

Slowly descending, blinding notes flicker as the steadying low end moves forward. The lead synth has a phosphorescence to it as the melody unfolds with a hint of wistful emotion along with the tender caresses of the notes. As the propulsive pattern shapes the music, slowly gleaming notes flicker while the punchy beat continues until the track ends on fragile tones.

A storm rumbles into life with heavy thunder and rain to commence “Heartbleed.” Reverberant percussive pulses move with an undulating bass that cuts with heavy darkness. The distant synth hovers with fragile elegance as shimmering notes wash above the crushing bass. Flickering brilliance flares from diamond synth while the bass tumbles and raised notes shine like the obscured sun.

A washing tide of shimmering luminosity slips past as the solid undercurrent throb. I feel meditative and full of deep emotion as the track unfolds. The supporting bass is rich but hard-edged while the distant notes flicker like the sun piercing the edge of a storm cloud. Clapping percussion echoes as the rapidly vibrating bass shifts, and the feeling of melancholy is cut by a thunderclap before silence falls.

Conclusion

Heartbleed is an album that pierces me to the core and fills me with a mixture of emotions that is satisfying and touching. This is a listening experience that takes us on a trip through human experience.