Diamond Ace - Empty Spaces

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Diamond Ace’s Empty Spaces takes listeners on a journey across a richly textured audio landscape that encompasses many styles and moods as it unfolds. It combines Diamond Ace's guitar skills with strong performances from guest artists as it travels through a wide swath of different synth based styles. There's a depth and expression within the music that draws me into this album. 

The heart of Empty Spaces is Diamond Ace’s guitar playing. His skill on the instrument  allows him to convey atmosphere and emotion throughout the album. He can caress the ears  and fill the listener with calm or launch them forward with explosive energy depending on what the music calls for. in his hands, the guitar carries me away.

Another aspect of Empty Spaces that I enjoy is the inclusion of Roxy Fae, Mayah Camara and Lisa Marie Perkins as guest performers. All of these women have powerful voices, expressive strength and add more depth to the music. I enjoy the way that they each capture the mood of the songs on which they perform. It was an excellent choice to include them on the album.

All of the sonic layers on this album give it a detailed sound. Each different element from his synth choices to the guitar and percussion contributes to the overall layering of the music. Diamond Ace has done an excellent job of interweaving tones, textures and timbres to create ear grabbing music. 

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Descending” comes into being as spaced out, floating guitar slides into the music with a relaxed feeling. Pervasive calm suffuses the music and the drums provide a steady pulse while softly trickling synth flows out in an easy-going line. The guitar entangles, filling the music with peaceful ease. 

Drums add shape while rain trickles in the background. A feeling of caressing and enfolding fills the music as it carries me away to a quiet place. Raised, softly touching synth notes rush through the music while the drums and bass keep up a steady heartbeat. Above it, raised notes glimmer while water flows. The track ends on delicate guitar fading into a low end pulse.

Solid bass rumbles far below as a quick burst of  bright notes flashes through  to open “New Dawn.” The bass becomes  insistent while hollow percussion  throbs along with flaring bells. Bass tumbles and drums flourish as the  track drives forward  with propulsive energy.  

Flashing notes vault while arpeggios twirl and the drums pulse. There's a sense of progress and new horizons that I enjoy. Now the drums and bass lock into a pulsation that adds strong motion to the track. Medium-high synth trips through with energetic life. 

The drums tick and tap while flaring notes leap out and the drums keep throbbing. Intense light fills the music along with constant low end motion underneath. After  drums flourish, hollow percussion comes in again and the music keeps pressing forward to a conclusion.

“Data” starts with a cymbal clash while luminescent notes rapidly tremble through the music. The tumbling notes create a textured feeling as they trip past. a solidly throbbing kick drum  hits hard below the starry  notes  that flicker above. Guitar thunders into the music with colossal power and charges into an uplifting melody while the drums burst below. 

There's inspiration and encouragement in the melody as it soars out above the rebounding percussion. The track slips into a segment in which ethereally intertwining notes float through open space with a serene quality. The bass is a deep well far below and the guitar has jazzy overtones as it tumbles through the music. 

The bass undulates and now silence falls briefly. The guitar flies in again crying out with wild energy and passionate life while the drums and bass drive the music onwards. I enjoy the sense of unleashed freedom that the guitar creates as it arcs into the music. The low end has forceful motion in it as it drives on. Diamond Ace shows his guitar skills  as he lets loose with his intertwining solo. There's a real heartbeat in the music as it presses on to a conclusion. 

Glowing chords wash with lambent illumination as rich base undulates far below to open “Vibrance.” The bass ripples and drums clash before settling into a smooth beat. High above sparkling notes cascade while string-like notes  interlock. 

Elevated, shining synth carries a soothing melody out over the  smoothly pulsing low end. I enjoy the way in which the sparkling notes add tender light. Angular bass shapes the music and the drums keep bursting underneath. 

Chiming notes ring out with flashing light as the track moves forward. There's a feeling of constant gliding and washing motion as the track sales onwards. The music falls silent with lightly touching drums and gleaming chords.

“Say That You Love Me” commences as luscious bass rumbles quietly below intertwining, delicate notes that flow with soothing emotion touching them. Now huge drums add direction to the music as Roxy Fae’s passionate and heart touching voice sings wordless vocals. 

Glistening light shines from an elevated synth that echoes out as Roxy Fae's expressive voice captures the need and love in the lyrics. Intensely shining  synth fills the music with  illumination as the smooth drums add shape to the music. 

The vocals have a unique flavour and I am drawn towards the deep emotion flowing from the caressing vocal melody. Diamond Ace’s guitar cries out with intense, touching emotion suffusing every note. the low end keeps up the heart beat and bass forms a rich well far below. The guitar pours out affection and desire as the song draws to a close.

Our storyteller asks how the song's subject could walk into a place and "your eyes get wider when you see me.” She wonders how the other person could look at her face and think she was the thing they were  missing. 

She questions how it is that the other person could touch  her hand and think “you understand every facet of my being.”  She questions how the song's subject could think they know her and asks how the other person could say they love her.

The narrator points out that she's only known the song's subject for a short while. It makes her wonder how she can "look at your eyes and see time stretching out in front of me.” She goes on to ask why it is that she can lay in the other person's bed and “feel more at home than I've ever felt.”  She's amazed by the way in which the song's subject has broken through her shell. 

“Nothing Stays The Same” comes to life as splashy, sharp edged drums explode into the music while shivering, reverberating synth trembles into the music. Fragile, tentative guitar moves gently as it carries a meditative, peaceful melody while the drums wrap out and the bass moves with luscious weight below. 

Diamond Ace’s guitar wraps around my ears, embracing me with melancholy and tender emotion. The drums fade away as the guitar reaches out, bass throbbing with power. After the drums come in with energetic pulsing, the guitar returns for a moment with a settling and lightly touching feeling. 

Now the more powerful sounding guitar moves with the dynamic feeling before again sliding into a melody that draws me close and soothes me as it unfolds the contrast with the clean drums is strong. The guitar cries out again, unfurling with soaring emotion that carries the song to an end. 

Bell-like notes twinkle out through the music as a hi-hat ticks to start “Trip To Nowhere.” The guitar forms a steadily interlocking pulse before drums hit and solid base starts to throb out. 

The brilliant notes add a steady, raised sparkle as the bass undulates. Now the drums keep pulsing along with the deep bass as shining notes flicker. The guitar carries a dynamic melody with a feeling of floating and journeying as piano-like notes move underneath.  

The bass pushes on as the diaphanous guitar dances and gleams while the drums shape the music. if there's a brief record scratch, while glittering notes all  cascade together and then the guitar comes in again with the melody that has energy and a feeling of exploration in the music. The track ends on light-filled notes glowing out above the drums as it bends and twists to an end.

“Running” begins as flashing synth leaps out above smoothly rippling bass, growing in strength. The kick drum adds a solid pulse and Mayah Camara’s vocals come in with smooth flow and emotion. Chimes flit past with luminosity  shining from them. 

I enjoy the way in which Mayah Camara captures the emotion in the lyrics with intense feeling. Blaring notes continue to add more brightness to the music while the low end presses forward. The drums keep bursting while the crystalline chimes flicker past. 

Conviction and confidence fill the vocals, as they speak of taking a new step forward. The bass keeps undulating and the gleaming notes jump out above the impassioned vocals. Diamond Ace's guitar rings out, slightly sharp-edged as it intertwines and cries out with intricate notes weaving together to create a sense of boundless motion. 

The vocals return with the chorus, yearning for a better future. The song keeps pulsing forward with shining chimes and powerful guitar. The song ends on bass pulsing, the guitar echoing out and Mayah Camara expressing herself with real feeling. 

The storyteller says that she needs a chance to breathe out in her desperation because “I've been through the suffocation of holding back.” She goes on to say that in anticipating exploration, she has the affirmation that she's on the right track.

Our narrator says that she's been running away from everything while   “running to almost anything.”  She says that she's running towards her destiny while trying to build a legacy for herself.

Now the storyteller wants “a new situation with no limitations." She wants to explore a different destination. She goes on to say that she doesn't need any complications and she's got no hesitation, she just wants to be elevated more.

As the song ends, she goes on to say “everything I've known, I'm ready to leave behind.” Nothing in her life was her own and everything felt like it was by design. Now she'll redefine who she is and she's confident that will happen with success.

A tight guitar line repeats and grows in volume as a wandering synth pattern twists through the music and bass grows in power to open “The Warriors [March Of The Robots]. ” The drums burst while Diamond Ace sends his guitar flying out in an inspiring melody. Lisa Marie Perkins sings the dark vocals with intense expression as the gigantic drums pound. 

There's a sense of strength in the vocals that captures the feeling in the words well. Shivering notes dance by as the low end drives on. The guitar adds blazing luminosity as Lisa Marie Perkins catches the lyrics in her voice. 

Now the guitar twists again before the massive drums throb and twirling notes interlock in the distance. There's an ominous feeling in the lyrics. the guitar leaps out for a moment before the talk pulse spins. Dominating percussion pounds on while the guitar intertwines.

Our narrator talks about how the darkness in their minds “creates the chaos of our memories.” She says that they're stuck in a time loop with nowhere to go.  There's a void in their heads that “destroys everything of who we are.” 

The storyteller says that they'll rise up and stand tall because they're the warriors. She creates a vivid image and she talks about their “memories  chained to the ground, silent faces on the walls for days.”

The robots look back at who they were and are driven to cut the cords that bind them and escape.

“Too Soon Pt. 2”  commences as bass rushes underneath while a tenderly flowing synth slips past. Broad drums tap into the music to create a smooth beat while lush guitar flickers. The guitar becomes a funky pulse along with bouncing drums as slipping chords sail out into the distance. 

The drums and bass have a compelling groove that I enjoy. Now bass trembles as distant sounds flip past and create peaceful feelings. Rounded notes drift and wrap around the listener. The track grows in power again as the guitar cuts in with encircling warmth. 

The drums brush softly before along with sliding bass before there's a flourish of drums and the groovy pulse comes in again. Washing notes slide together and float out above the percussive pulse below  them. There's tranquility in this music while it is still shaped by the percussion. The music slowly fades into quiet as the track ends.

Ethereal notes call out while echoing guitar shimmers through the music in the distance  to start off “Ascendance.” The bass has a haunting quality as metallic noises tremble far away. I am pervaded by melancholy feelings and  the sense of something lost in this track. Piano-like notes with a widely flowing sound cry out into openness while the whole track moves with meditative calm  before falling silent. 

Conclusion

Empty Spaces carries me across emotional landscapes which touch me deeply as they unfold. Diamond Ace’s guitar along with  the guest vocalists and his skill at layering different sonic elements pulls me into the album and holds my attention as it unfolds.