Hill Valley Hero - Arcades
Review by Karl Magi
Overall Album Impressions
Hill Valley Hero’s Arcades captures the spirit of youth, a wistful ache for good times gone by and a sense of hope. Taking the classic synthwave sound, Hill Valley Hero digs deep to find emotion and expression in it. His melodies are memorable and emotive, his sonic layering is lush and his music touches me in a surprisingly powerful way.
In spite of Arcades’ high musical qualities, perhaps the most affecting part of the album for me is the strength of the emotions it evokes. Along with moments that explode with irrepressible energy, there are tracks with a melancholy quality which tugs at my heartstrings. Hill Valley Hero explores yearning, child-like joy and an ineffable sense of loss in a way that draws me in deep.
A large part of the emotional power of Arcades comes from the album’s melodies. Hill Valley Hero has a knack for writing melodies that are beautiful and engaging. There’s a way in which each melody manages to exude mingled feelings that I find compelling. For me, the most pleasing music is the music that touches my heart and this album does.
I also take pleasure in the luscious and intricately interwoven soundscape that Hill Valley Hero creates. His mixture of synth sounds that mingle light, shadow, sharp edges and smooth flow with reedy sax passion and electric guitar textures creates ear-catching sonic combinations. Strong auditory imagery is well-woven into one pleasing whole.
My Favourite Tracks Analyzed
“Welcome” commences as arcade sounds zing, zap and plink and a retrotastic voice over announces the joy of the arcade. Gliding synth unfurls underneath and lush bass throbs while a dancing synth trickles in.
Trumpeting synth carries an encouraging and joyful melody with ear-catching energy above the bass. Chimes sparkle as they carry deeply hopeful melody’s full of happiness. Xylophone-like synth rushes in a rapid pulse and we fade out on arcade noises.
An exuberant melody sings out on broadly sweeping synth accented by glassy chimes radiating light to begin “Slow Down.” Strongly kicking drums are accented by digital-sounding synth bursts. The deep main synth has an alluring richness, balanced by the twinkling chimes that frolic above dense bass and punching drums.
Glowing light suffuses the music while the main melody exudes dynamism and uplift. A crowd cheers as engines roar and digital-sounding synth flits through. The strong lead synth pours out barely restrained energy. Shimmering synth flickers with lively motion above the heavy drumbeat and thick bass. A trilling synth dances through and the music fades on blaring synth pulses that add sunlight to the track.
“Eighty Eight” opens as resonant synth carries a swirling note pattern that twirls with dynamic life. Choral synth adds a worshipful feeling and laser-like sounds zap. Glittering synth sings a melody exploding with positive emotion as slap bass adds a funky quality while chimes shimmer and shakuhachi drifts.
Synth sparks flare, carrying flitting notes while unique percussion with a hollow sound taps. After a drum flourish, the main melody soars out pleasingly, full of yearning power. The track slips into a segment in which bending, fragile notes drift and 8 bit sounds move. Groovy drums and slap bass sit in the pocket while coruscating light suffuses each note of the melody. The main melody and ear-grabbing percussion keep shaping the music before silence falls.
The sound of a busy arcade comes in to open “Stealth Mode.” A voice over warns of the dangers of “youngsters communicating in a video fantasy land.” Drums keep throbbing as minor key arpeggios ripple, adding dark shadings along with the dense bass below them.
Broadly shining lead synth carries a charming melody mingling wistful emotion and encouragement. Guitar swirls through and the drums and bass keep shaping the music. The glowing lead synth sings the melody that combines yearning and a tinge of loss.
Bass oscillates as organ-like notes tremble and medium-high, glimmering synth floats out. Guitar climbs with triumph above crystalline arpeggios. Now the guitar cascades, whirling and dancing in an intricately woven solo above hard-hitting drums. Arpeggios twirl and the track comes to an end.
“Cheat Code” opens as sparkling synth trickles through a gently shining background before heavily driving drums and bass press forward. The shining lead synth rapidly leaps and cuts out, making short flaring bursts.
Bending, nasal-sounding synth flies through a swirling melody, exploding with infectious energy above a steadily guiding drum and bass heartbeat. Brassy synth spins through an arcing solo that soars above the low end propulsion as vocal sounds echo. Staccato bursts of notes cut in and the solidly shaping drums and bass push on.
Radiant synth climbs to the sky and a sax cries out with a reedy warmth before a guitar twists with a gritty strength and shredding energy. Whirling, dancing lead synth flickers through and the guitar is impassioned and expressive. A unique percussion pulse moves and the main melody flies above the punching low end before the track ends.
Delicately rippling arpeggios with a diamond shine open “Interceptor” as a muscled drum and bass pulse slams in with crushing weight. Wandering, chiming synth trickles above a dense, sharp-edged lower synth carrying caressing sounds. Sparkling high notes ripple out and solid drums and bass shove forward.
A sax calls out in warmly dancing patterns and the rough-edged, dense lower synth and more caressing, higher synth share the same melodic line effectively mingling dreamy emotion and strength. Big drums rebound and flickering higher synth shines out.
Elevated synth radiates rich light before the energetic sax twirls out and percussion adds form. Fragile, trembling high synth moves through before ragged synth sings and the sax repeats its lively line. Twinkling notes flow and the drumbeat continues to hit hard. The sax tumbles down in an infectious pattern as the intertwining sonic elements all imbue the music with intense life before it fades.
"Pinball Summer” begins as thunder rolls and rumbles and a laser zaps. Metallic notes tap with clean light and fluting synth carries a soothing melody above oscillating bass and gliding drums. Round-toned, medium-high synth sings an easily breathing melody brimming with youthful enthusiasm.
Bursting drums shape the music and metallic, dancing synth accents it. Scudding bass oscillates as the heartwarming main melody slips along and tells a tale of a summer that feels like it’ll never end. I am drawn to the guitar melody that aches with memories of all the past summers that will never return.
Groovy slap bass and interlocking percussion intertwine as the guitar carries the melody that manages to be full of loss yet still hopeful. The sax takes up the melody, pouring out intense emotion in its unique voice. A note of encouragement fills the melody as it evolves while the drumbeat throbs on and the bass skips along as silence falls.
Razor sharp, ultra bright synth rings out in chords tinged with shadow to kick off “Momentum.” Massive retro drums drive in and a jerkily twirling synth moves while the jangling notes call out in an angular line.
A higher synth pattern twists and the drumbeat is unstoppable. The track flows into a smoothly drifting segment as a guitar strums in an energizing pattern. Metallic keys ring out in choppy motion as an elevated arpeggio spins and the colossal drums shape the music in rebounding motion.
The lead synth melody pours out joyfully, climbing into the blue with a wild abandon that I enjoy. The sax calls out, reinforcing the music’s inspiring emotional quality. Voices in the distance chant before the track slides into silence.
Conclusion
Arcades is an album that takes me on a journey through joy, hope, melancholy and yearning as it evolves. Hill Valley Hero has taken synthwave as his bass and used it to produce music with real heart and soul. I thoroughly enjoyed the listening experience.
