Cat Temper - From a Whisker to a Scream
Review by Karl Magi
Overall Album Impressions
Cat Temper’s From a Whisker to a Scream takes listeners on a voyage through tranquility and peace to massive power and vastly sweeping vistas. Cat Temper uses his synth palette to weave together galactic imagery through a series of fascinating tones and textures. His well-written melodies interact with all of the different sounds to produce vivid imagery in my mind's eye as I travel across the stars with this album.
The very visceral and beautiful imagery that Cat Temper paints on From a Whisker to a Scream is one of the most compelling parts of it for me. The artist uses his skill and excellent ear to intermingle a wide variety of different synthesizer colors, textures and sensations to illustrate each track. I feel myself carried away on a rising tide of emotion and the feeling of the unending cosmic tapestry spreading before me.
Another engaging element of From a Whisker to a Scream is Cat Temper's ability to write excellent melodies. The melodic content on this album is touching, powerful and bursting with a cosmic feeling. Out of all of the albums that I've reviewed from this artist, this one takes me on the most intriguing journey as it unfolds. He manages to evoke all of the danger and immense beauty of the universe in which we live.
I am also attracted to the way in which all of the different layered elements interact on this album. Cat Temper skillfully brings all of the different synthesizer sounds together with his melodic and harmonic composition to produce a scintillating voyage through the stars. I find myself strongly enmeshed in the end result.
My Favourite Tracks Analyzed
"Across the Stratosfur" comes into being as flaring synth chords extend into open space. As the chords sweep, they give the music a very broad feeling and a breeze flows as ethereally tremulous synth spins out in a widely drifting pattern. Bass moves steadily as a synth supernova grows in blindingly flaring lines.
The bass becomes a colossal pulsation as razor-sharp notes twirl and a hi-hat ticks to guide the music forward. The bass remains a steady force as rhythmically spinning high notes are joined by resonant bells that fill the music with delicate light. In the distance, a gruff synth shivers, adding texture. Expansive synth chords swirl and the drums shape the music more thoroughly.
Chiming notes echo with smoothness while contributing a melancholy feeling. The background synth tumbles together, creating immense strength as the drums collide. An arpeggio twirls intensely, while gleaming synth chords plane through the music.
I enjoy the arpeggios' active nature as they contribute to the feeling of spaceflight. This track evokes a sensation of adventure and the presence of unknown forces moving through the galaxy. The track ends on reverent notes sliding past, with trembling synth moving softly in the distance.
Computerized-sounding, easily riffling notes swirl upward to open "Purrallel Worlds." Deeper notes begin to throb underneath as the smoothly trickling synth spins out and bass pulsates in quick bursts. A delicately floating panpipe synth carries an ethereal melody with a timeless feel, while twirling notes tumble around it.
The panpipes have a haunting, airy delicacy as they dance through the music, with the breathy melody climbing above cascading notes and bursting drums. The track crescendos as the sharply glowing synth rises and a medium-high synth rebounds while the panpipe-like synth cries out, carrying the smoothly exhaling melody.
Broadly shifting chords echo in the distance, drawing me into the sensation of floating on a tide of softly drifting air. The lead synth adds another layer of luminosity as aquatically bubbling notes tremble in the background.
A sense of increasing urgency fills the music as it winds tighter, with the widely revolving synth moving underneath the panpipes as they exhale. Intensely intertwining notes vibrate together as the main melody climbs to a brilliant peak and closes with twanging guitar.
“Force Meowjure” starts as a wobbling synth with a ragged edge and swelling brightness moves with a desolate wind. Tranquil, floating synth moves in easy tidal ripples as the almost vocal-sounding synth wanders past and the endless wind blows. Tiny points of light move in a rhythmic pattern as the deep flow underneath extends outward.
A broken glass synth pours out serenity and melancholy has the sharper edges underneath break. A drum bursts and pulses as the unctuous depths move outward and the metallic, flashing synth carries an ancient-feeling melody. Arpeggios revolve relentlessly, imbued with sadness as the drum burst continues. The broadly ringing synth moves in short pulses as the background is filled with angular sound.
Arpeggios continue to swirl outward, adding dynamism as the drums pulse in time to them. Flaring sounds cut through the music with tension and a new melody comes in, moving on a trembling, minor-key synth with an almost baroque feeling, adding more nervousness to the music before the track comes to an end on ominous bass.
Tremulous chimes echo with a ghostly pattern to begin “Alpha Catauri.” Extended synth tides glide outward with massive bass throbbing below, adding an ominous sensation as it expands and contracts slowly. Long flows of intensely brilliant synth chords reach outward through the music in washing waves.
A broad-sounding, hollow synth drifts through the music in a descending pattern as winds sweep past and a reverent choir calls out. The track’s fiery light fills the distance and the open-voiced notes glide past easily. I enjoy the way in which the melody is caressing and full of affectionate tenderness as the chimes float in the background.
The bass continues to rebound impactfully as the washing notes glide through and cleanly glowing notes undulate with flickering starlight. A resonant synth comes in, carrying a melody that is rich and tinged with a mournful feeling. Now the bass pulses in short bursts and the open-sounding, pipe-like synth descends over it until the track comes to an end.
"Turn of the Tail" opens as a flowing, bell-like synth moves in a smoothly oscillating line, adding a meditative sensation to the music. The drums and bass bounce in an uneven pattern as the lissome notes entangle and brilliant, trumpeting synth leaps outward as a punctuation. A laser-like sound sweeps in and now the drums and bass undulate and pound, darkly energetic as they flow through the music.
Snare drum bursts cut in and the angular, shifting notes are joined by a scintillating synth that intermingles in a swirling melody as the brassy sounds continue to slice in. Dynamism defines this track in a way that I find compelling, mingling synthesized layers with a palpable feeling of forward motion.
As the bright synth continues to climb upward in minor key lines, tangling, hollow bells twine together and the low end shifts smoothly. Punctuating luminosity pours out of a continually twinkling synth as the lusher low end and the heavy drums carry the track to an end.
Galactic pulses echoing into vast space start off “Dark Kitty.” A broadly roving synth moves along with orchestral notes that call out with increasing intensity and drama as a ticking percussive sound moves below.
The drums begin to pound with harsh force and the towering orchestra is joined by a brass section that creates motivational energy which uplifts me. Flashing synth notes leap through the music with an adventurous sensation, cut by the radiant synth that shines through the music.
Orchestral notes and brass give way to strings and a harpsichord that carries a melancholy, haunting melody. The spinning notes in the distance add a ghostly feeling as the thundering bass rumbles and the orchestra rolls through the music. Panpipes ripple and the active drums and bass throb as the string-like notes swirl and dance.
Active speed fills the music with a feeling of rocketing through the stars. Now the massive bass throbs and the broadly bursting notes call out. The drums and bass create propulsion and tensely sparkling notes are cut by open panpipes before the track ends.
“Birdwatcher” commences with ferociously ominous bass swelling into a forceful tide. The bass begins to rush forward with seething strength as echoing percussion floats out into space. The drums collide in a clashing beat as the heaving bass moves far below. Intimidating strength emanates from the bass and now it flows out in shadowy notes, filling the low end of the track. Intensely radiant synthesizers flicker in wandering lines as the hollow percussion taps.
The low end erupts, raging with guitar that adds even more strength before leaping into a swirling solo that rides through the music. Anger and danger emanate from the guitar as it slashes through, while the drums batter and climbing synthesizers wind up the tension. Cat Temper shreds on the guitar, creating jagged edges that slice through the music as bright notes shine.
Clean, sharp synthesizers leap in quickly, dancing lines that fill the track with flickering light. The drums collide now as the guitar charges and lambent synth howls with dramatic life as the bass churns below. The guitar solo is feral, ripping through the music before wobbling noises emerge. A piano undulates as a string-like synthesizer adds an enigmatic feeling to the music. I am enamored of the many layers that combine to create this luscious track. The music ends with a distinctly spectral feeling.
Ethereal notes drift smoothly into open space as giant bass rumbles to commence “Escape Claws”. Rippling synthesizers become more powerful as the gigantic bass moves. The arpeggios wander out as a floating sound descends and the bass feels dark and heavy. Cosmic noises flicker past as the endlessly turning arpeggios roam.
Bells add luminosity above the weighty low end as it sweeps past. The bells ring with huge force, crying out into the filigreed sounds around them as a wind flows. The sense of galactic forces interacting is palpable and draws me in.
A sharply nasal-sounding synthesizer winds through the music with an uplifting quality, painting a picture of planetary vistas opening wide as it hovers. There’s a slight distortion in the melody, adding an alien quality as it climbs with triumphant nobility. The drums continue to shape the music as the track slides into silence on tumbling arpeggios.
Conclusion
From a Whisker to a Scream has become one of my favourites from Cat Temper’s catalog. It reaches a high level and is one of the more cohesive and sonically pleasing works he's ever produced. I could listen to this music over and over again and never grow tired of it.
