Electron Odyssey - Liquid Crystal Daydreams
Review by Karl Magi
Overall Album Impressions
Electron Odyssey’s Liquid Crystal Daydreams is a musical quilt, woven from many different and interesting pieces that come together in a satisfying and interesting whole. The album maintains cohesion while roaming across an ear-pleasing musical landscape that incorporates many genres and emotional states.
One of the reasons I enjoy Liquid Crystal Daydreams is the high quality of Electron Odyssey's performances on the album. The guitar is intricate and expressively played, all of the synth parts are detailed and their sounds are well-chosen and the drums are full of life and dynamism. The high level of musical skill enhances the overall atmosphere on the album.
Performance quality is also a hallmark of the guest artists on Liquid Crystal Daydreams. King Protea and Megan McDuffee bring their superb vocal abilities to bear on the songs, deepening the sound and enhancing their emotions. Sean Michalec’s guitar solos are impressively intertwining and full of skilful playing. All in all, each guest adds a positive contribution to the tracks.
I also find the way in which the album can knit together a rich variety of different musical influences into a cohesive whole quite compelling. Sometimes putting together such a sonic collage creates chaos but Electron Odyssey has managed to avoid that problem. Instead each varied element adds more interest and entertainment. For me, it’s the atmosphere that the music creates which allows all of the disparate influences to work together so well.
My Favourite Tracks Analyzed
“Empty Heart” opens as wildly pulsating, rounded synth rushes in oscillating motion and rough-edged, massive bass pulses slice in. Shimmering chimes fall slowly while huge drums batter and robotic vocals move to add a technological quality to the music. A snare drum strikes hard and angular, medium-low synths create a driving pulse.
Glittering chimes sparkle and rapidly fade as the robot voice moves. Now electric guitar flies while bending synth wobbles in between. Heartfelt energy and howling passion fill the excellent guitar performance here. A segment characterized by finger snaps and rapidly dancing, chiming notes floats past. Nasal-sounding synth ripples through along with massive, flourishing drums.
Tense, raised synth wriggles and the “fill my empty heart” vocal repeats. The music drops into a wide open void as synth bubbles and pops as high sounds skitter. A deep bass heartbeat throbs before rounded synth quickly cascades into the music. Metallic chimes ring out and hard-edged guitar pulses in.
Ethereal, full sounds come in before the electric guitar cries out. Flashing chimes drop through and the robotic voice goes on over the throbbing drum and bass underpinning. The guitar wheels and intricately dances before coming to an end on wandering synth.
Arcade sounds and distantly throbbing bass open “Roller Rink Request.” An announcer calls on skaters to hit the rink and a quickly jumping bass line and flickering arpeggios move together. Classic, dance floor filling bass and skipping drums launch the music and King Protea’s vocals are full and expressive.
The joyous vocal melody moves and the uplifting beat propels the music. Youthful life and hopeful feelings fill the chorus pleasingly as the bright synth melody jumps. Both singers intertwine their voices to add to the positive emotions as chimes flash and glow.
A chest-thumping, energizing drum and bass pulse goes on and the twisting synths add more dynamism as lambent synths ripple through the music and the track ends on surging bass and sparkling synth.
The narrator talks about how she sees the song’s subject “standing in the corner, too cool for school.” They look at each other and she encourages the other person not to be shy and “step into the light, leave yourself behind now.” She adds that they should have some fun on that night.
Our storyteller asks the other person to hold her hand and dance with her. She asks them to say they’ll stay until the next day so they can “drive in my car to the stars.” As the song ends, she tells the song’s subject that together they’ll "chase away sorrow.”
Strangely buzzing, broken noises move in along with typing sounds, a dial-up modem and distorted, drifting arpeggios to bring “Fundamental” to life. Nasal-sounding, rubbery bass and gigantic drums slam into the track while climbing, shadowy chords move underneath. Brassy synths cry out with a powerful voice as elevated guitar wriggles over gigantic drums and thick bass.
Now a breathy voice comes through saying “my love for you is fundamental” as energetic, gleaming guitar doubles the vocal melody. There’s a break into writhing arpeggios as tightly wound string notes ring out over the drums and bass. I enjoy the intense light flashing from the high strings here. Lower strings drop though, adding resonant lushness to the music.
After a flourishing drum fill, the drums are cut by sparkling, leaping synth lines as the vocals repeat. Now muffled, distant synth notes with a nasal twist ripple as finger snaps move and the male voice repeats “fundamental.” Wobbling, raised notes shiver over dynamically bursting drums and bass while shining, string-like synth cries out. The music fades out as thunder rolls and wind and rain rushes.
“Trip” kicks off as majestically flaring synths are accompanied by tight, elevated sparkles as the guitar cries out and unctuous, steadily flowing bass pulses. The guitar is full of energetic life and Electron Odyssey's vocals leap in, clear and full of humour.
I enjoy the exuberant chorus its promise of fun out on the road. Drums throb, rippling higher synths float out and the guitar is full of a sense of adventure to complement the lyrics. Twinkling light bursts from the synths and the guitar flies through the music above the propulsive drums.
Now hard-hitting drums solo with diversity and free-wheeling strength. The other musical elements ramp up, synths shimmering and carrying a jaunty melody. A happy, positive chorus flickers through above the guiding drums before the song ends.
Our narrator is not a happy camper as he talks about how his “boss is a slob, I wanna quit my job” and feels that his current town must be cursed. On top of that, he has a neighbour who’s a jerk with a “creepy smirk.” The narrator is planning on getting out of there!
In the chorus, he decides it’s time to go on a trip with a friend and “give ‘em the slip.” They’ll get into his “rusty old ship” and escape. Our storyteller says that “with any luck” he’ll start his truck and see how far “ten bucks for gas” will take him and a friend. As the song ends he says, “I'm packing up my bag. Bye Mom and Dad. Grey skies to blue, just me and you.”
Richly glowing synths wash into the music, full of an enfolding feeling as “The Endless Shore” opens. Reverent, breathy sounds sweep past and crystalline chimes glimmer above Megan McDuffee’s luscious voice. Her performance is assured and expressive, carrying a mysterious vocal melody over dynamic drums and sunlit chimes.
The vocal melody is enigmatic and wandering. After a drum fill, Megan McDuffee’s emotive voice carries the worshipful, ethereal vocal melody again. Elevated lead synth twirls, full of pained emotion as metallic chimes flash and extended synth chords flow below them.
Now Sean Michalec’s expressive guitar solo adds needy, gritty energy as it unfolds into the song. Densely packed notes intertwine before high chimes flash. Medium-high synth doubles the vocal melody and Megan McDuffee’s voice fades.
Our storyteller talks about how she’s looking out to sea “suspended in this moment.” She asks the other person to meet her in a daydream “beyond the endless shore.” As the day draws to a close and sunset falls, she says “my flame burns on, can you see it?”
Again the narrator asks the other person to meet her in that daydream. A beautiful image of “green eyes in grey skies” is woven as she asks the other person where they’ve gone. She is forced to concede that she hasn’t got an answer for the question.
Our narrator implores the other person to find a way back to her and talks about how memories are like “grains of sand” as they slip through her fingers. As she next talks about being met in a daydream, the storyteller says “stepping out, we fall together through clouds of mist and starlight.”
As the song ends, the narrator talks about reaching through shadows and as her “green eyes open” she sees the other person. She can hear the other’s voice inside her and confidently states that “I will find you!”
“Turbocharged” comes alive as a snarling motor revs and tumbling, digital-sounding notes flicker along with a robotic voice. Steadily pulsing snare drum moves with an active, solid bass line and squelching synths quickly intertwine.
Rounded, medium-low synths rebound as pulsating drums and undulating bass move below cascading, tightly interlocking notes. As the robotic voice sings and tensely wound arpeggios whirl, guitar rings out with clean, slicing notes. Metallic, repeating arpeggios flicker before the guitar and pounding drums create the sensation of power and speed.
The robotic voice repeats “won’t you come along with me.” The guitar howls and fills the music with enjoyable, intense life. The computerized voice is shattered by scalpel-sharp arpeggios. The guitar ends the track with aggressive energy and the sound of a roaring engine.
Rough-edged, warm synth chords move in before a delicate female voice chants and “Forever” begins. Glittering chimes wash through the music as bass throbs richly below them. The caressing, breathy voice calls out as crystal arpeggios spin. Uplifting guitar rises on glistening wings over the shiny, medium-high synth.
There’s a pleasing, invigorating quality to the pattern woven by the medium-high synth here. An enfolding, peaceful sensation emanates from the female voice as soaring guitar lifts into the clear blue sky. Now sax adds a reedy and light melody that skips through the music, adding to its sense of ease. Laidback drums guide the track on. Passion rises from the sax before gruff synth chords form a dynamic line.
The guitar wheels out, shimmering through an enlivening melody as the medium-high, glowing synths frolic. After a drum fill, dense chords shift and the female voice glides along with sunny synth flashes. The saxophone adds a positive, heartfelt emotional quality to the music. The track cruises toward an ending now with bursting energy.
‘To The Far Side” starts as massive drums and unique percussion shudder and throb as high, strange animal sounds cry out. Metallic synth rings out before the guitar roams into the music, carrying a dark melody that exudes danger and intense feelings.
A gigantic, pulsating drumbeat adds urgent strength to the track. A feral feeling pours from the guitar as it cries out. I find the guitar’s wildness compelling as it fills the track. Metallic chimes shine and the drums strike hard to shape the music.
The guitar cries madly and carries an intricately howling melody out over the shattering, stuttering drums. The minor key melody is muscled, carried on spine-tingling guitar and the drums and bass thunder below. The track ends on gargantuan percussion.
Waves wash on a distant shore and a trumpeting note rings out to bring “Drifting” into being. Sharply gleaming synths cut in and the drums have a clear edge as guitar adds more lush tones to the higher synth’s crystalline shine. The guitar carries a delicately flowing melody as bass moves below.
Now as the drums shape the music, smooth guitar carries a melody evoking mournful emotion as the complex drum part shifts. Glimmering high synth adds starry sensations to the track. I am drawn to the yearning, loss and need expressed by the guitar melody here. Through it all, the drums throb as the guitar floats past and sparkling light flickers from elevated synth as the waves wash.
Conclusion
Liquid Crystal Daydreams is a lush, layered and diverse auditory journey that combines many different musical influences and sensations. Electron Odyssey’s talents combine with those of his guests to create an enjoyable listening experience on the album.
