Kushna - Dream

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Kushna’s Dream takes listens through a richly varied series of synth vignettes, each telling a small tale. There’s a balance between intricately interlinked synth sounds, strong melodic writing and effective auditory imagery in the music. The end result is a sonic journey through different dream states.

Layered, luscious synth sounds combine to create engaging sonic textures, tones and timbres on Dream. Kushna skilfully wraps different synth threads together to create ear-grabbing musical moments that balance the rough, the smooth, the bright and the dark. He layers sound on sound to produce intricate, engaging music.

Dream is also a showcase for Kushna’s ability to write great melodies. The melodic content is expressive, memorable and explores multiple emotions within one track. I enjoy the way in which feelings that run the gamut from tragedy to hope sometimes unfurl out of a single melodic line as it evolves. The melodies further add to the impression of being taken on an audio journey.

Another strong aspect of the album is the way in which Kushna generates mental imagery through music. The inventive sonic combinations paint vivid pictures that are given extra depth by the melodies. Each track draws me down a different mental pathway and leaves a unique impression on me as it reveals itself.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Dream” begins with steadily guiding drums and quickly swelling and fading synth chords with a gritty edge. Thick, slowly oscillating bass notes intertwine and create a smooth, strong undulation as ticking drums shape the music.

Medium-high, flashing synth carries an enjoyable melody that mingles hope, victory and power as it sings out over muscled drum and bass. Rapidly leaping, high synths cascade to add sparkling light above the underlying depths.

Oscillating bass adds propulsion as the main melody calls out again, yearning and full of a sense of progress along with just a hint of more pained emotion. Again the fluttering, tumbling high synth adds light above the power below.

Sharp-edged synth pulses join speeding drums and gruff, accelerative bass as “Stylewave” starts. Bell-like synth carries the main melody as it flies out with a dynamic shine. Now medium-high, full-sounding synth takes up the main melody. I am drawn to the way in which the melody crackles with energy and rocketing motion.

Ringing, gleaming synth carries the melody, pushed forward by the speeding drums and bass. Now tight, glittering synth takes up the melody, exploding with motivation. Angular synth bursts out, contrasting with the energizing melody. Rushing drums and a bass pulse adds momentum touched by flaring light.

“Memories” commences as slowly shifting, metallic chimes express melancholy feeling. A steadily glowing background sound flows and chimes echo out. Gruff-edged, pulsing synth accents them as solid bass throbs and the snare drum bursts.

Now glittering, trumpeting synth carries a melody that looks to the future and dreams of the past in an ear-pleasing way. The drums and bass form a  shaping heartbeat of drums and bass, as chimes ring.

After a drum fill, the melody sings with aching emotion and brightness while the chimes flicker and the percussion and bass guide the music on. One more drum fill and the music fades out.

Angular, darkly oscillating bass is joined by tapping drums that launch “One Dance” forward. Now elevated, leaping synth dances in a volleying motion. Lower, continually driving synth with a sharp edge carries an urgent melodic pattern above the strongly, evenly pulsating drums and bass.

I am enamoured of the way in which the music is full of rushing power and infectious energy. The lead synth has a string-like quality with a  shadowy tinge as higher notes add shining accents. The melody cascades through, full of lively feeling but touched with a hint of hurt as the angular bass and thudding drums keep charging on.

“Lush Story” begins as wobbling, full-sounding synth bubbles into the track with a dense, resonant sound swelling up below it. A rounded, gruff synth arpeggio quickly twirls as hard-hitting drums rebound and form a slowly shaping beat.

A bass void opens up below as richly circling arpeggios move through the music. Medium-low synth wth a subtly intertwining sound carries a mournful, drifting melody out over oscillating bass and bursting snare drums. The melody is wistful and emotional, full of feelings of drifting loss that I find touching.

Rough-edged, broad-sounding synth arpeggios shift above the diffuse snare drum and flowing bass. The main melody returns, bending as it conveys pained emotion, shaped by the throbbing bass and strong drumbeat. The music sweeps and swells with deep feeling before the track ends.

Razor-edged synth scampers in and fades quickly as an unevenly throbbing kick drum smacks in to kick off “Kool.” A snare drum adds to the rushing, propulsive bass and a jagged synth pulse adds even more acceleration.

Now a smooth, elevated synth shimmers in a dancing pattern that effectively adds lambent life to the track. Nasal-sounding, rounded synth sings a melody rich with an adventurous feeling. There are medieval sounding shades to the melody as the flaring synth carries it out over the speeding rush of the drums and bass.

“Mute” opens as a groovy bass line and steadily tapping, open percussion create a funky pattern.Tightly wound synth trickles and big, bold and full-sounding synth adds richness. I enjoy how the synth becomes a surging, enfolding melody that contains inspiration within it.

Drums pulse steadily and the strong bass groove goes on. Elevated, shimmering synth sings out the melody that is both positive and a touch sad as the driving drums and bass drop back into the funky groove.

Dramatically muscled, throbbing bass and a kick drum are joined by gigantic, heaving snare drum to start “Ready To Fight.” Tight, nervous sounds rapidly undulate and medium-low, reverberant synth carries a melody that combines a feeling of intent with a sense of readiness as it unfolds.

Huge, ominous drums batter and bass surges in the background. A segment with ragged-edged, trembling synth cuts through the heavy low end while higher synth tumbles. Now the wonderfully majestic, threatening and battle-ready melody calls out again, given a sense of impending eruption. Solid drums and rippling bass guide the music to an end.

“School Life” comes into being as delicately drifting, soothing synth waves lap through the track in a gently shaking motion. Thudding bass and shaping drums thunder into the track, adding more power. Elevated, gossamer synth dances in flickering motion, carrying a tripping melody.

I enjoy the way in which the melody’s fragile feeling contrasts with the great weight below it. Gigantic drums imbue the track with deep energy. Diffuse, gliding synth sails over the drums and strong bass oscillates underneath. Filaments of tender, high synth trail through the music before the towering drums fall silent and the track ends.

Heaving, ferocious bass and solid drums drive on as “Cyborg Love Story” opens. Trickling, glittering synth with sharp edges spins out through the music as drums with tidal strength throb. After a drum fill, medium-high, gritty synth sings a tragic, triumphant melody.

Pounding drums add irresistible forward motion along with weighty bass. A slowly undulating, glowing synth pattern is cut by flashing higher sounds. There’s a deeply emotive feeling in the  melody to which I am drawn, full of aching nobility and power. A flaring synth pulse adds accents of light while the crushing drum and bass motion fades into silence.

“Send off” starts as seething darkness and a sense of impending doom fill the shadowy bass and metallic, broad-sounding drums. Now medium-low, full-sounding synth carries a melody that beautifully exudes heartbroken emotion.

The melody is briefly taken up by raised, shimmering synth briefly. Trumpeting, metallic synth carries a secondary melody with a more hopeful quality while danger pours from the dark bass and drum pulse. Now a segment with slowly spinning, hollow-sounding synth arpeggios comes in.

There’s a return to the hurt-filled, lightly touching main melody and sparkling higher synth heightens the pained emotions. Brassy synth sings out an uplifting melody over the slamming power below it. The track ends with twirling arpeggios.

Jagged, massive bass oscillates as drums rebound through “New Beginning.” Nasal-sounding, medium-low synth carries a gently dreaming melody out over undulating bass and bouncing drums. Enfolding warmth fills the main melody as it unfolds, evolving from melancholy to hope.

Softly glowing lead synth adds to the melody’s emotional impact, effectively deepening its yearning, dreamy feeling. In contrast, the bass has undeniable weight and the drums add form to the music.

Elevated, glimmering synth carries a wistful, slightly pained secondary melody and descends to velvety lower sounds. The low synth mixes a sense of loss with a feeling of change before the track ends.

Conclusion

Kushna’s ability to draw me through a series of dream states with his musical skill is what most impressed me about Dream. Every track is crafted in a way that engages me as its small story unfolds. As a whole, this album is an intertwining, image rich voyage through the imagination of its creator.