Dudikoff - Bright Lights, Big City
Review by Karl Magi
Overall Album Impressions
Dudikoff’s Bright Lights, Big City is a dynamic, layered slice of retrowave pleasure. The album combines addictive melodies, powerful drums and bass and lusciously interwoven synth lines to create emotive and entertaining music that paints neon imagery across my brain.
Perhaps the most alluring aspect to Bright Lights, Big City is the melodic writing on the album. Dudikoff writes melodies that are clear, engaging and emotionally rich. There’s a sense of deep feeling that emanates from his melodies, grabbing hold of my heart and holding on as they unfold. I feel like I could listen to some of these melodies for hours on end.
I also appreciate the colossal power of the drums and bass on Bright Lights, Big City. They provide propulsion, energy and form to the other musical elements. They exert tremendous force on the album and help give it the punchy energy that drives it. I also enjoy the way they add to the expressive nature of the tracks.
There’s an engaging depth to the way in which synths and the other instruments interact on the album. Each sonic layer enfolds and moves with the others to weave a tapestry of lush auditory elements. As a result, Dudikoff paints imagery of rain-wet streets, glowing neon signs and powerfully affecting emotion with each layer he creates.
My Favourite Tracks Analyzed
“Neon Black” comes to life as darkly shadowed, sharply cutting bass is joined by gently drifting, chiming synth as a crushing kick drum throbs in with a steady motion and accelerates. Snarling guitar-like synth lacerates with razor-edged energy as hard, punching drums shape the music and bass growls far below.
Synth with a charming gossamer glow delicately floats and is accented by a fierce guitar cutting in. Synth curls around the guitar sound, carrying a mournful melodic pattern that glides above the guitar’s snarl.
Snare drum and kick drum slam on and a tripping synth shifts above the percussion. Huge drums press on as reverent, glistening synth clouds slip through the music and a shimmering synth spins. The track returns to angular, slashing guitar and powerful drums before closing out.
Rapidly rushing synth is joined by gigantic, muscled drums and smoothly flowing bass as “…And She Turned Around And Smiled At Me” starts. Fragile, elevated sounds slip past while hard-edged guitar pulses evenly.
The lead synth radiates effulgent rays, carrying an engaging melody brimming with affection and dreamy hope. Choppy synth scuds above strong drums and gritty guitar sounds. Speeding, intertwining notes glisten with warm light and a tambourine adds a different percussive quality. The guitar cries out with jagged edges below skipping synth.
Michael Skog plays a passionate, heart-touching guitar-like solo that soars with exalting energy above steadily shaping drums. Flaring synth sings again, imbuing the track with tenderness and encouragement while sharper guitar adds a hard edge. The song (and the dream it carries) ends as an alarm rings.
“The Streets Of Shinjuku” opens as towering bass surges, a rumbling engine idles and heavy kick drum throbs. Tires squeal and an engine-like howl emanates from an elevated synth as hi hat and snare drum play a scattershot burst and colossal bass undulates.
Jumping, string-like synth trembles in oscillating lines that create a vibrating, trembling sensation above flourishing drums. Distant, raised sounds skip through and sirens flurry as engines howl and drums explode. Dudikoff’s aggressive guitar synth sound reaches out and cuts through giant drums and thick bass with a triumphant motion.
The guitaresque lines create dynamism as an echoing voice floats and the tremulous synth line effectively ramps up the track’s energy. Muscled drums add shape to the music and bass walls rise up with tremendous strength. The track finishes on sirens and distant voices.
Vast bass throbs smoothly as a hollow sound climbs to a peak to open “The Last Day Of Summer.” After solidly hitting retro drums come in, glittering synth flickers with gentle light. A drum flourish leads into a medium-high, richly toned synth singing a wistfully aching melody before strands of glistening synth intertwine.
Full-sounding, enfolding synth carries a pleasing melody that dreams of hazy, languid days. Choral synth adds heartwarming emotion and sax carries a powerfully touching, expressive solo that sings of blue water and palm trees. Gritty guitar-like sounds add depth and weight below the main melody’s touching qualities as the hard-hitting drums shape the track before it gently fades out.
"High Score Hero” kicks off as coins go into an arcade game and caressing, soothing synth flows above a pulsing drumbeat and steady bass flow. The drums are massive as they guide the calming synth chords.
After a drum fill, broadly shining synth with a rough edge sings a wonderfully elegiac melody as guitar adds weight and a sharper edge. The bursting drumbeat shapes the track while tranquil synth chords drift. A floating synth carries a yearning melody while open, hollow percussion taps in.
The guitar-like sound powers below with muscled chords above gigantic drums that push on, Fragile backing chords add a calming feeling as the guitar rises now a solo brimming with hopeful life. as the full, rounded synth chords glide and the drums keep shaping the music before sliding off into silence as the song ends.
A muscled fist of bass rumbles below ethereal sounds that drift above it to start “Hostile Supercomputer.” Sharply cutting synth trembles and an intimidating kick drum drives on while open air rushes around distantly wandering synth as heavy bass pulsates.
Full-sounding, medium-high synth chords add warmth as lacerating notes slice ferociously while glowing chimes flow with fragile light. Far below, drums and bass hammer onward and shifting synth chords shimmer. Hollow synth pops, adding increased tension and nervousness below glimmering chimes and above the battering low end tide.
The track slips into a segment in which rich synth chords swell and delicately touching chimes flicker while a continual percussive flow drives on. Cosmically drifting synth creates an interesting contrast with the worried, hollow synth that hammers in beneath it. The track ends as light-filled arpeggios twirl above relentless low end motion.
“Graduation Day” commences as flaring synth creates a melodic pattern that exudes encouragement. Softly gleaming lead synth sings a tender melody, beautifully pouring out soothing emotion as choral synth adds an airy sensation.
Steady notes flicker out and a slowly throbbing drumbeat shapes the music. Sharp synth regularly calls out and string-like synth carries a melody fit to burst with heartwarming emotion. There’s youthful hope and dreams bound up in the calming melody as the drums and bass guide it.
Sax floats out, full of affection and caring, calling out with passionate life as giant drums throb. The sax has a reedy lushness in contrast to the glittering string-like synth that falls softly through the track. The main melody slips in again, rising with sunny light above rebounding drums. String-like synth flits in trembling lines and the sax takes the track to an end.
Propulsive drums rush as dense bass pumps and nasal, resonant synth sings a tender, tranquil melody to kick off “Just Like Heaven.” Smoothly unfolding, effulgent lead synth keeps singing a charming, touching melody above rushing drums.
Metallic, string-like synth takes up the melody and adds more flickering glow. Chimes dance with uplifting energy, full of hope and wistful joy as the underpinning motion keeps pushing on. There’s happiness and celebration in the melody, but it is leavened by more aching, nostalgic emotion while the percussion and bass take the music to a conclusion.
Conclusion
Bright Lights, Big City transports me on a journey across a vast metropolis, engaging me in a mixture of nostalgia, wonder and images of the different experiences that can be had. There’s a sense of youthful wonder that fills the music on this album as it unfolds.
