DASHCAM - Sundown On Volcano Beach

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impression

DASHCAM’s Sundown On Volcano Beach exhales glistening neon light and heart-piercing ache as it unfolds in luscious layers of retro-synth sound. DASHCAM and his talented musical guests weave a touching, softly shadowed and emotive tapestry of music, voice and lyrics on this album. It is one to which I could listen many times without tiring of it.

Sundown On Volcano Beach is an album in which pained emotion mingles with longing, love and nostalgia in a heady way. DASHCAM and his collaborators imbue the songs with an affecting sense of yearning for a pastel drenched, hazy past while seeking love and trying to keep hope alive. I find the music moving and touching as it evolves through the album.

An excellent group of musical collaborators lift Sundown On Volcano Beach to new heights. All of DASHCAM's musical guests bring a unique approach to the songs and suffuse them with fresh sounds. Every collaborator here contributes to the album’s emotional depth and sonic quality to produce a stellar whole.

I enjoy the intricate interweaving of DASHCAM’s well-chosen synth palette. All of the tonal, timbral and textural elements mingle into an expressive, layered and image-rich whole. The synth sounds combine to enhance the longing ache that seems to permeate much of the album in an ear-pleasing way.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

"Memories Intro” Celestial chimes shimmer against soothing bass clouds gliding out along with a rush of lucent synth. I enjoy DASHCAM’s decision to open the album with serenity and a dreamy feeling that suits its pastel washed sensibilities. This opening establishes the mood to come.

Strong kick drum and chest punching bass are joined by a phone being dialed and ringing to commence “Life Line.” Weight and power characterize the drums and bass as they drive Anna Wang’s diaphanous vocals.

Exulting synth chords swell to add support to the other musical elements. Darting synth glistens in trickling lines as Anna Wang’s softly caressing voice carries a beneficent melody as chimes sparkle. Xylophone-like notes add lightness as the vocals exude affecting emotion.

Flickering notes accent Anna Wang’s wonderfully expressive voice as graceful notes lift the music. Gently brushing chords bring warmth while glistening synth continues in its energizing pattern above solidly bursting drums and a bass oscillation before silence falls.

The storyteller says that she’s both breaking out and breaking down as her heart becomes a “ghost town.” She’s been seeking love but she sleeps by herself. In spite of everything, she says “sink or swim, I do it on my own.”

Now the song’s subject comes along and upends her world. Everything has changed and she points out that “in high water, you're my lifeline.” Our narrator is cautious as she’s afraid of falling.

Our storyteller concludes that she’d “rather fold than lose it all.” She adds that she didn’t need anyone else because she “lost my mind trying to find myself.” Everything rushes on her, she feels the high water’s cold in her bones. As the song ends, she has realized that everything is different now that she’s in the high water.

Resonant, slightly quivering synth carries rounded notes over open-voiced percussion to start “Oceans.” Funky guitar drifts easily above bass flow as Liv Held’s voice drips with emotion and need in a softly slipping melody. Rich bass rises while medium-high, synth illuminates the music in a spreading glow.

Arpeggios slowly revolve to add musical texture to the song. Liv Held’s voice has a charmingly smoky quality, given a touch of digital distortion as tautly flaring synth trickles past. Drums provide guiding motion above the dense bass. The vocals ache with feeling as synth chords burst with an enfolding luminosity underneath the sailing melody.

Elevated synth radiates a calming glow as colossal drums flourish. Hollow percussion ticks as cosmic notes glitter above muffled sounds, slowly clearing as muscled drums collide below mingled voices. Dense bass provides a solid underpinning while Liv Held’s vocals tremble with affection. Silence falls on funky guitar, swirling chords and unctuous bass.

The narrator points out that the first time she met the song’s subject, she thought they’d be forgettable but she “didn’t know the half of it.” Now she says that “you’ve got me crazy” and the other person is always on her mind. She adds “I know you won't ever quit.”

Our storyteller declares that she’ll be the other person’s “bodyguard” and devote herself to them. She doesn’t have to keep running now because “our love is an ocean.”

She asks the other person to meet her at the movie store and “get into motion.” She says she’ll be their “movie star.”

She says that she “can’t help from reelin’ “ as the other person has her feeling that way. She talks about their “funny little lies” acting as if they don’t cry. There is a twist as she says that all she got from the other person is “those things I say I’ll always do.” Enough is enough for her as she concludes “let's just make a move tonight.”

“Hypnotic” begins as haunting synth sweeps into open space. Clear Pioneer’s muffled voice drifts as strong retro drums pound in with solid bass. The vocal melody has a hopeful quality as twisting sounds swirl in the distance.

The drumbeat and bass are propulsive while broad, glistening synth supports the vocals. Flaring notes fly out in rapidly cascading lines above unevenly tumbling drums and lush bass. Radiant chimes flicker above a rippling synth cascade as the low end punches on.

The vocals are pleasingly smooth and laid-back as shimmering synth with a wide sound echoes. The song slides into a muffled segment before nasally gleaming synth trembles rapidly over the jumping drumbeat. The song ends on Clear Pioneer’s expressive voice, shining chimes and quickly spinning synth.

“Breathe in deep, steppin' outside, floatin' off the ground” is how the teller of this tale opens as he adds that the pleasure is all his. He says that if people tell the song’s subject that happiness isn’t meant for them “ya know they’re lying.” He points out that those people will also tell you that “if you fear joy, your feel is true” but tells the other person not to buy into it.

The narrator wonders how the other person could be “so hypnotic.” He says that they pull him out of himself while “leaving behind my body.” He adds, “you give it to me and show me I've always got it.” He speaks of there being quiet in the other person’s head, urging them to “forget about the ground.” Our narrator talks about them hangin’ by a thread while “you know what's to be found.”

Breakers roll into shore and seagulls cry out as a synth glissade creates soothing emotion to open “Lost and Found.” Steadily pulsing bass undulates and drums tick before moving in a bursting pattern. Crystalline chimes carry a meltingly tender melody with soft light glistening from it.

DASHCAM’s voice exudes heartfelt emotion and affection as it floats through the song as the drumbeat rebounds and bass oscillates. A pillowy synth cloud enmeshes the chorus beautifully as it rises, giving off profoundly gentle emotion. The main synth melody slips on cut glass chimes.

Full-sounding, medium-high synth carries a wistful melodic pattern above big drums. DASHCAM’s affecting voice carries the loving melody as the shaping drumbeat and trembling synth add texture. Hazy warmth permeates the music fully before chimes sing with glinting light. Piping notes add a breathy quality, twirling guitar-like synth moves and a distant voice falls into silence.

The storyteller says that perhaps he’s asleep with the song’s subject as they are “drop top dreamers on a trip just for us two.” He goes on to say that if they are “caught between the sheets and the neon lights” then they are two “dream young lovers” headed out into the night who are "lost and found.”

Our narrator muses that maybe he’s asleep with the other person in “sundown, beach town, sheets found by the pool.” He points out that even with their “heads beneath the waves” they won’t drown. Instead they will “just dive in deep when they come around."

“I Don’t Wanna Wake Up” starts as rubbery synth bends before a powerfully propulsive drumbeat hits along with a bass wall. Becky Heck’s voice has a cold quality I enjoy, carrying the mingled pain and need in the lyrics.

Rebounding, dominant drums and pumping bass add power. Sunny synth provides a glimmering contrast as the hard-hitting drums pound with relentless energy. Lambent chords are joined by a panpipe synth singing a more affectionate melody.

Becky Heck’s voice has an echo on it that enhances its distant feeling as twisting synth writhes rhythmically. Heavily driving drums and hollow panpipes carry the yearning melody to a conclusion.

The narrator opens by saying that the other person is playing it safe “but not any more.” She has cracked the combination and opened the door. It Is “everything I dreamed of and more.” She adds “Dorothy, I don’t think this is…any more.” She goes on to say that she’d rather not wake up “if that means not being with you no more” as she’s “spinning out of control.” The song ends with the phrase “Toto, I don’t think this is…any more.”

String-like synth washes in sliding lines above gently guiding drums and bending synth creates a distantly floating pulse to begin “Hope For You.” Evan Pilak’s voice is wistful above colossal, hard-hitting drums. The vocal melody mingles yearning and delicacy while twangy guitar moves through the music.

Evan Pilak’s voice tugs at the heart with its gentle quality. Deep bass supports rolling synth waves and a robotic filter is applied the vocals, giving them a mechanistic quality. Funky guitar skips past and the vocals are feathery as round-sounding notes float.

Now sharp-edged synth repeats a pulsating pattern as the robotized vocals move. The lead synth climbs in dynamically gleaming lines an a nasal, bright synth repeats a trembling pulse. Evan Pilak’s voice is full of need as the drums below pulsate with intense life while the soaring, whirling synth cries out.

Our storyteller talks about being “cold and calm, detached” and says that when love is gone that feeling is “unmatched.” He adds that he says he doesn’t feel anything but “we know this isn’t true.” He wants to make the other person “just believe we’re new.”

In the chorus, the narrator knows the other person will fall in love, the stars will shine over them but “another one falls apart.” He wishes the other person was still his even though they said his “love declined” and points out that the song’s subject still has his heart.

He goes on to stay that he smiles “kind of” as he still hopes for love for the other person. He wishes them “all the best that we could never hold.” At the end of the song, he says he has learned through pain and “I can be so cold.”

“Sunrise On Volcano Beach” comes to life as an engaging, mournful ache flows from far off, delicate synth as planing chords swirl and clean synth cuts in with a brushing touch Misty synth climbs in cloudy billows before a taut, raised arpeggio twirls high above sizeable retro drums throbbing along with uplifting bass.

Diamantine synth carries a melody that breathes with affecting emotion while sparkling high notes hover. Massive drums keep up a shaping pulsation while gossamer synth carries a more encouraging melody, becoming positive and uplifting before the track ends on starry arpeggios and the sweep of waves on sand.

Conclusion

Sundown On Volcano Beach mingles richly layered synth, compelling vocal performances and emotive songwriting in a deeply pleasing way. The guest performers add an additional layer of quality to the music and the whole album is one with a great deal of re-listening potential.