Jetfire Prime - THEY
Review by Karl Magi
Overall Album Impressions
Jetfire Prime’s THEY creates a highly eerie and darkly entertaining atmosphere as it unfolds. The way in which Jetfire Prime evokes all of those terrifying horror movies of the past is deliciously creepy. I enjoy the atmospheric sensations and well-thought-out melodies, along with the plethora of ear-pleasing synth sounds.
One of the main things that draws me into THEY is the moodiness and brooding shadow that Jetfire Prime creates on this album. His synth combinations and sound design paint images of creeping threats and stark terror. The way in which this music makes me look over my shoulder is something that I find deeply entertaining.
Another strong element of THEY is Jetfire Prime’s melodic writing on this album. He creates engaging melodies that elicit a strong emotional response and help to flesh out the storytelling aspect of the music. Jetfire Prime has managed to paint strong images through the melodic content he creates.
The synthesizer sounds that Jetfire Prime uses on THEY are inventive and carefully considered. The end result is music that captures the intense emotional ride of classic horror movies. All of the different tones, timbres, and textures mingle to deepen this album’s cinematic storytelling experience.
My Favourite Tracks Analyzed
"Prologue" comes to life as a strangely vibrating sound moves with horror-filled intensity, rising through the music with unsettling clicking sounds now moving in the distance. The track surges and trembles as intensely flaring synth floats out through the music with blinding effulgence.
The background has a mechanical roughness and darkness as the insectile ticking continues. The glimmering synth winds through the track with radiant intensity as the unsettling background continues to add a sense of worrying threat. I enjoy the atmosphere created to open the album.
Mournful, deep notes ring out along with discordant chimes and lush bass to commence “Main Title”. The bass begins to undulate as the aching synth cries out with melancholy emotion, and the chimes add crystalline, piercing light.
The drums form a steady pulse as climbing, brilliant synth carries a drifting melody with a tinge of fear. The bass is a rich underpinning as the pounding drums add motion. The flashing synth pattern winds upward with a sense of growing danger before the track comes to an end.
"Unloading Crates and Missing Out on Dates" starts off with echoing sounds that burst flatly and are joined by a dull kick drum thud and hissing sounds. A hang drum-like synth carries a rounded, reverberant pulse that descends through the music with mechanical sensations.
Medium-low, full-sounding synth carries a melody that gently unfolds. A more radiant synth flows with tranquil light above the crushing weight below it. There’s a wandering sensation permeating the melody as the absolutely massive low end throbs with raging energy.
A steadily repeating fluting sound ramps up the tension in the music as the hard edges below it push with threatening strength. I can feel creeping danger all around me. I am enamoured of the way in which Jetfire Prime creates these sensations. Again, the hang drum melody, cut by clean-edged synth, drifts with haunting energy before the track comes to an end on pounding drums.
Rapidly pulsating, scintillating synth grows in strength as bass descends underneath to begin "Watched, Followed, We’re Not Alone." Ominous notes flare into life with dramatic energy as trembling synth vibrates above the heavy bass flow. The refulgent notes entangle with blinding light as the echoing background synth fills the music with increasingly dangerous sensations.
Broadly gleaming lead synth carries a melody mingling terrified emotion with melancholy as the background noises echo. Dread and discomfort fills me as this track unfolds in a way I find darkly pleasing. Luminescent notes hover above the echoing background as the shadowy bass rises. The main melody reverberates as it fills the track with feverish light and pervasive worry.
Bright notes ring above the swirling blackness below, and I can imagine our main character realizing that their world has changed and threats lurk around every corner now. The lucent synth flares with haunted light as the continually arpeggiating background notes add to the sensation of being followed. The track ends with melancholy and pained nervousness.
"Summer Days and Teenage Dreams" opens with a smoothly flowing drum beat as the tenderly touching melody sings out with warm emotion. Tranquil, full-sounding notes glide in the distance as the drums and bass pulse to guide the shimmering synth. The melody is hopeful and bursting as sunlight, illuminating the song, and the entangling, crystalline notes add even more lustrousness.
My heart lifts with this music, giving me a break from the darkness of the other tracks. The main melody slides in again with gentleness and easy motion, slowly expressing the love and yearning in the track. The way in which the lead synth gleams only deepens the music’s emotional strength. Glistening arpeggios continue to ripple, and a shining synth line rises above the continually driving low end.
The delicate notes spin in counterpoint to the low end. Now the drums tick more slowly as a slightly shadowy but still soothing melody floats out as chimes sparkle. The bass undulates as the drums slowly pulsate while the high notes add radiance. Once again, the glistening lead synth carries the emotive melody above the low-end throb. The track is like a breath of fresh air after the darkness around it. It ends on lustrous arpeggios and the affectionate main melody.
Oscillating bass moves with uncomfortably drifting, intensely metallic synth to kick off "We Can Get Guns." The bass batters into the track with slow, terrifying strength as the burnished chimes give off nervous light.
Fearful bass surges as palpable worry and looming danger fill the music. I enjoy the clock-like ticking of the percussion while the raised synth cries out and the lower notes pulse into silence.
"Street Patrols" begins as a roundly polished synth gently caresses the music with a mixture of gentleness and increasing tension. The bass provides a steadily marching pulse that winds up feelings of worry and lurking threat in the distance.
Hollow percussion batters as the bass becomes a continually surging pulsation. The rising synth has an organ-like sound as it climbs upwards with ever increasing feelings of approaching doom. The track exudes vigilance in a way to which I’m drawn as the pounding low end continues to drive the track forward.
Scintillating synth pours out in the background as the organ-like notes rise. A feeling of seeking and continual, nearing danger fills the music as the brilliant notes continue to echo into open space before silence falls.
Voluminous, jagged bass pounds with ominous weight to start "Third Night, Final Fight." The bass gives off a demonic shadow as it slams into the music with fierce power.
Tremulous, elevated notes vibrate, and a brass-like synth carries notes that burst with horrific muscle as they move above the lugubrious but oppressive low end.
The trembling notes wind up nervousness and a sense of readiness for battle. This track's atmosphere draws me inward and engages me in the feeling of a crucial battle about to break out.
"Heroes But at a Cost" commences as lugubrious, melancholy synth drifts out in slowly unfurling lines, with deeper notes flowing with more painful emotion. Softly dancing arpeggios descend with tenderness, and the main melody sings on a sparkling synth with heartbreaking emotion.
The drifting background creates richness and texture as the glittering synth conveys pain and heartache. Continually flickering synth lines cascade with steadily shaping energy. A round-sounding, organ-like synth carries the hurting melody in a way that touches my heart.
Now the continually rippling background flows with steady luminosity, and the bass underpins everything. The melody glows again with fragile lightness, and the wandering synths float past in undulating motion before the song ends.
Gigantic bass throbs heavily as ethereally hovering synth rings out with delicate illumination to start "Hope Wins." The softly touching synth pulses in a melodic pattern that conveys resolution and positive energy as the bass pulses. A lambent synth pours out victorious emotion as the drums provide a strong heartbeat along with the hard-hitting bass.
The mood is one of triumph and forward progress as the drums and bass push forward. I am drawn to the resolute nature of the main melody, unfolding on the crystalline synth. The low end continues to press on with propulsive liveliness while the caressing but powerful melody calls out. There's a sense of a battle finished and won, despite a heavy price paid.
Conclusion
THEY Is a superb invocation of the classic thrills and synth soundtracks from 1980s horror movies. Jetfire Prime weaves together a tapestry of melody, atmosphere and expression to produce a fun soundtrack for a movie that never existed.
