Coleurs - Everything's Temporary

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Coleurs’ Everything's Temporary drifts through dreaming soundscapes, full of longing and ache, but still tinged by hopeful moments. Coleurs captures the deep emotional content of his lyrics with a vocal performance that is full of delicacy and pain. The album’s atmosphere is luminous and fragile, contrasted by the powerful percussion and luscious bass. I am transported on a sonic journey as Everything’s Temporary unfolds.

Coleurs’ vocals are at the heart of Everything's Temporary. His voice is tender and full of heartstring tugging emotion with its ethereal qualities. I find that his manner of expressing his lyrics drives them home with gentle, but intense feeling. his voice can capture heartbreak and desolation in a way that is difficult to ignore. I think Coleurs’ vocals are the perfect compliment to this album's mood.

The songwriting on Everything's Temporary possesses expressive power. The lyrics push right into the heart of pain and wistful longing with clarity. The way in which Coleurs and his guest’s words lay bare raw emotion touches me and affects me strongly. I find that being drawn into the album’s feelings and expression brings me closer to the album’s mood and tenor.

As for Everything's Temporary’s atmosphere, the way in which Coleurs utilizes synth tones, timbres and textures increases the emotional impact created by the vocals and the lyrics. There is fragile beauty within the synth parts, punctuated by powerful bass and guiding percussion. The melodic writing on the album is also beautiful and the synth sounds chosen Coleurs match each song's melodic content.

I also want to acknowledge the guest artists (Joslynn Cortes, Parallels and Observer Drift) who contributed to the album. They each brought their own unique skills and sensibilities to bear while allowing Coleurs’ unique expression to shine. The balance they found is deeply pleasing.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Away” comes into life as luscious bass growls below sparkling notes that shimmer with delicate light. There's a peaceful flow as distant, soft-edged synth floats while the bass moves with tidal weight. Tranquility fills the higher notes as they swirl before beaming synth planes out in sharp-edged lines that expand above the delicately shifting low end.

Flickering notes are joined by a flourishing snare drum but cut in and fade as the bass washes. Now a labment arpeggio quarrels dynamically above the pounding kick drum, and the snare drum flourishes again.

Ragged edged, glistening chords leap out with an energizing force in a way I find thrilling as the exciting kick drum continues to pound. The twirling arpeggio imbues the music with motion as the rising notes add brilliant light, and the drums accelerate before silence falls.

Warmly glimmering synth moves in steady waves as bright notes add further illumination to open "Closer." The bass and kick drum throb as Joslynn Cortes’ voice carries hope and strength while the low end throbs and a ticking percussive sound adds more shape.

The bass rumbles as far away, flashing synth spins. Joslynn Cortes’ voice jumps into the chorus with lively joy and surrounding warmth as the drums and bass kick in. There's a throbbing heartbeat to the low end as the vocals call out with heartfelt emotion. Glowing synth carries a serene melodic pattern as the drums thump.

Now the track drives forward with conviction and motion. I enjoy the depth of feeling within Joslynn Cortes’ performance as the drumbeat trembles and gentle notes twirl. The vocals capture the emotion within the lyrics as a shimmering synth moves with the beat. The song ends on the shuddering drums and emotive vocals.

The storyteller sees the song’s subject from across the room, staring at her, and she says, "Your smile resonates within." They begin moving closer to one another, little by little. There's something she has to confess: "I just want to dance with you, just a little bit closer." She asks the song’s subject to run away with her, "where no one else can see, in a kaleidoscope of colour."

"This Life" starts off with gently drifting synths as soothing bass drops in below, washing over waves. The solidly pounding kick drum is joined by luminous synths that carry a caressing and expressive melody. Coleurs' airy, fragile voice carries the dreamy melody as the drums and bass heartbeat continue.

The chorus is delicate and hopeful, with medium-high synths adding solid support while twinkling notes shimmer. The track glides as the affectionately touching vocals move above the driving low end. I am drawn to the deep feeling within Coleurs' voice as he delivers the lyrics. Now, deep bass pulses and climbs as chimes glimmer, and the drumbeat adds a guiding feeling.

Medium-high, round-toned synths carry a warm-sounding pattern as the lead singer offers his hand to the song's subject. The big drums rebound, and Coleurs enfolds me in his softly emotive voice. The chorus flows out as the chiming notes glitter and the lower synth intertwines before the song comes to an end.

The narrator has found a new path to take by himself, but he says, "I'd rather not go it alone." He tells the song subject that they only have this life and "you got to find your way." He tells the other person to stay close, that he'll keep them safe, and "I'm not going away."

Our storyteller says that now that he's returned to his journey, "my life feels like it is turning; I'm drifting far away." All he can hear the song subject asking him is, "Why won't you just come back to me?" He says it isn't too late and that they can go back. He concludes, "I'll be right here; got a lot to learn."

Calming bass waves ripple as a distant circling synth and pounding drums swell to full strength to open "Lonely Night." Coleurs' ethereal voice hovers above the music with mournful, hopeful emotion as the drums and bass vibrate, and wide-sounding, gleaming synth moves with a throbbing beat above the massive bass.

Gossamer notes extend in long lines as the lead singer's vocals reach out with tremulous gentleness. Coleurs' voice touches my soul with its emotional power. Shining synth fills the music with radiance, softly intertwining as the drums and bass maintain their smooth heartbeat. Full-sounding synth intertwines as chiming notes flicker lightly and the low end motion continues.

Delicate, glistening notes carry a diaphanous, lightly touching melodic line. String-like synth reverberates into openness as the tidal bass glides. Sharper notes move along with angular sounds as the string-like synth twinkles. The drums rebound as the softly entangled, glinting synth mingles with Coleurs' heartfelt expression, illuminating all of the musical elements. The track ends with tenderness and a trembling touch.

The narrator has found his place but asks, "Is it too late?" He wonders if he can change the song subject's mind and says, "I know it's gonna take some time."

Our storyteller falls victim to the song subject. He finds himself on "another lonely night" and wants to make things right. He wonders, "Why can't I get you out of my mind?” Now he says, "It's been too long since we spoke," and he finds himself there all alone.

"Solace" begins with slowly turning, sweeping arpeggios and lush bass that begins to pulsate steadily below the galactically spinning arpeggios. A swelling, surrounding synth expands as ringing notes resonate with delicacy, and the colossal bass adds solidity and weight.

Bell-like notes tremble with tenderness as the arpeggios and bass create motion. Glittering notes flash with gem-like luminosity above the continually revolving arpeggios and bass depths. I pause and breathe, held within the music, as the arpeggios spin alone into silence.

Lustrous, floating synth glides with a gauzy flow before huge bass rumbles in to open "Empty." Gently lambent chimes shift above the massive bass, and the rebounding drums pound as Coleurs' voice flows through the music with soft expression.

The vocal melody radiates pain as the drums throb in an echoing pulse while the scintillating synth traces through the music. The underpinnings add shape to the music, the gigantic bass providing a rich background. Coleurs' vocals reach out with affecting emotion in a way that draws me in.

Now, the hovering notes trickle through the music with a light touch, and the bass fills the low end. The vocals are trembling with loss and longing as the flaring notes add diffuse illumination while the drums and bass throb. Coleurs' vocals are full of regret and yearning as elevated, sweeping notes shine with luscious light before the song ends.

Our storyteller feels empty as he lays on the grass, "watchin’ all the time pass." He says he doesn't want to give up and has to try to keep living. He adds that there isn't much left for him to do because "I played the game; you played it too." He says that they just keep running on empty.

The narrator points out that he watched the world change in front of his eyes. He says, "I feel like a slave to this economy." He adds that he hasn't got a car, so if he tries to leave, he won't get very far; they just keep running on empty. He concludes, "We’ll wash our lives away; we’ll watch our lives fade away."

"Growth" comes into being as bass vibrates underneath swelling, luminous synth notes. Broadly gleaming, slightly gruff synth chords shine as the background grows in power. The ringing notes are joined by quickly spinning piano-like arpeggios as string-like notes intertwine. The drums and bass drive forward with twirling synth, and Observer Drift carries the wistful melody in his expressive voice.

The lead singer mingles his own voice with Observer Drift’s, creating a layered harmony that I find ear-pleasing. The drums and bass press forward as shimmering arpeggios spin, and Observer Drift's vocals deepen the song’s emotional strength.

Gigantic bass swells as sharp-edged, crystalline synth contributes a sheen, while the full-sounding, glittering notes carry a melody that is hope-tinged, despite the empty feeling within the lyrics. Guitar rings out with a majestic and touching melody before the track ends.

The narrator says, "I need closure like I need air," but he can't find it anywhere. He notes, "There's a heavy fog still in my mind," and asks how he can rewind the experience.

Our storyteller asks to have everything he's got taken from him so that "there's nothing left to make this last." He needs his heart to let go of the song subject so that he can "face the pain to see the growth."

Life continues for the narrator, but it's a struggle. He says that he plays "your stories when I close my eyes." As he sits there, he runs back through his memories yet another time. He concludes that he needs his heart to let the other person go.

Brightly glittering chimes intertwine above slowly shifting bass to begin "Everything's Temporary." The chimes ripple as Coleurs' trembling vocals delicately carry a meditative melody, tinged with sadness. The sparkling synth washes over sunlit motes dancing as the bass moves below.

I enjoy the thoughtful, dreamy element of this track, emphasized by Coleurs' vulnerable vocals. The chorus adds an element of brightness and starry light, with the melody becoming more uplifting. Coleurs' voice trails through the music with deeply affecting emotion as string-like notes carry a slightly hurting melody.

The entangling notes ring out with vibrant illumination to support Coleurs' heartstring-tugging vocals above the steadily pulsing drums and bass. The percussion drops away as the guitar and the chimes create flickering light, and Coleurs' voice returns in his expressive tones.

Guitar notes move slowly and with soothing energy as the drums and bass add shape. The guitar cries out in a solo full of mournful emotion as the vocals convey the emotional sense within the lyrics. The track ends on a crying guitar and elevated notes calling out into silence.

Our storyteller says that "time's a tickin' clock" that moves on like a thought. He says as we age, our "hearts grow colder." He can see the end coming and feel "the disconnect." As the days pass by, he tries to make things last, but "everything's temporary."

The narrator only knows that he has to let go of things as "life drifts away." He adds that his material possessions tend to fade. He speaks of days passing that he tries to make last, but he adds that everything is still temporary. He says that he is "here all alone, nowhere to go," and asks what will become of him.

Now our storyteller says that his time has run out and he thought he’d be enough. He concludes that everything he knows is just a memory of which he has to let go.

Conclusion

Everything's Temporary carries listeners on an emotional exploration that is musically entrancing and full of expression. It's an album that I find moving and deeply relatable.