Manhatten - Descent
Review by Karl Magi
Overall Album Impressions
Manhatten’s Descent is a journey through the depths of space, full of intense power and intricately intertwining synth sounds. The atmosphere, melodies, and overall feel of the album draw me into the shadowy, sharp-headed world created by Manhattan. I enjoy the complexity and depth on display as the music unfolds.
One of the more compelling elements of Descent is the atmosphere that Manhatten creates on the album. There is threatening, ominous darkness broken by moments of brighter, more energetic feelings that provide interesting contrast. Overall, however, there is a desolation and danger that pervades the music in a way that pulls me in.
I also enjoy the melodic writing on Descent. There's a good mixture of melancholy, motion, and expression scattered throughout the different tracks. I appreciate the way Manhatten uses his synth palette to emphasize the melodies and imbue them with more feeling as the music evolves.
The way in which all of the different musical elements work together creates both complexity and cohesion. I enjoy how I can delve into the many layers on Descent while still feeling that the journey on which I am being taken is the same one throughout the album. I am enamored of Manhatten's approach to creation and sound design.
I also want to mention Nikoletta Winters’ (Lacrimorta) and Alpha Chrome Yayo’s contributions to the album. Nikoletta Winters’ powerful vocal performance and lyrical writing deepen and strengthen the title track “Descent.” Alpha Chrome Yayo brings his own unique musical voice to “World Without Sound,” which further adds richness to the album.
My Favourite Tracks Analyzed
“Descent” begins with huge piano chords, and Nikoletta Winters’ voice which is full of pained darkness as the round-sounding, pulsing notes move along with massive piano chords. The drums and bass throb while Nikoletta Winters’ voice wanders through shadowy depths as the music circles. Rapidly spinning, arpeggiating notes move along with the Nikoletta Winters’ aching vocal performance.
Arpeggios whirl with brilliant light as the vocals tremble and ache with emotive strength. The drums flourish, and tranquil, floating notes tumble through the background before the drums pound again. Nikoletta Winters captures the lyrics’ dark complexity as full sounding-notes pulse in an energizing motion and the low end shapes the music.
Angular sounds flare as the gleaming arpeggios entangle and fall through the music, while the thudding drums drive the track forward. The vocals slide through the music with a gentle threat as the intertwining notes fade to silence.
The storyteller talks about what happens when the world falls and "the rain turns to ash," as the song's subject's smile "turns to pain." She speaks of what happens when the other person's love is distant and "the last note is played."
Our narrator says she'll send them all straight back to hell as they dance to "romantic songs of lust and lost innocence," as she asks the song’s subject not to try to hide the hurt they feel inside.
The storyteller asks the song's subject for one reason why their heart belongs to someone else, though she wishes it would be hers. She goes on to say that there should be no more talk as she asks the other person, "Do you remember the time?"
Our narrator assures the song's subject that they are safe and asks them to hang on to her, adding, "Let's get you out of here." She asks the other person to look down and see "above the falling neon sky." She tells the song's subject to stay close to her because "there's so much to fear of breaking through."
The storyteller says she's just as scared as the song's subject to take a chance that "romantic songs of love and lost innocence will take us back."
The sound of throbbing computers joins with a robotic voice as a rapidly slamming drum and bass pulse opens "Scanning for Life Forms." Sharp, cutting dances and active motion emerge as the gruffly bursting notes above create a dynamically moving synth melody. The drums and bass are solid as the juddering, powerfully leaping synth propels the music with conviction.
Electric sounds curl out through the music as the low end pulses heavily. Digital-sounding, broadly leaping notes intertwine with massive strength. Vocal messages cut through as the lacerating synth slices before wide-sounding, open-voiced notes quickly tumble together. The track drifts into a floating segment in which elevated sounds flicker and insectile notes shift.
The drums return as medium-high notes fall through the track with unfolding motion. The energizing, digital synth leaps through the music with motivating strength as round-sounding notes entangle and silence falls.
“Run” kicks off as flashing notes call out a warning as a dark voice says “run!” The low end throbs with propulsive weight and drives the track forward as the flaring notes leap up words. A hollow, repeating sound undulates with tension and a haunting feeling as a melody unfurls on an echoing, medium-high synth.
The melody is gentle and traces through the music with a light touch, softly glowing despite the crushing weight of the drums and bass snarling below. Swirling, radiant notes leap out and twist through the track with dynamic speed. The low end stutters as it erupts forward and ethereal, open-sounding notes above it cry out.
Heaving, lacerating bass snarls as the drums pound. The main synth melody returns, gliding through the music in a peaceful contrast to the darker, harder elements. The chimes that come in glimmer with gentle illumination in a way that I find beautiful. The low end slams onwards below the drifting melody, and the track comes to an end.
The sound of footsteps across a desolate landscape starts "World Without Sound." Wind sweeps in the background and a voice shouts, “Stop! Who dares to disturb my peace? You noise makers are all the same! You had your chance in the Before Time! Soon as I shall create a new world, a world without sound!” Now the pumping low end moves with angular, widely bursting synth as the kick drum thuds.
A hi-hat adds a ticking quality as bouncing, alien-sounding notes flit through the distance. After a drum flourish, a synth explodes with luminous motion in a melody that carries propulsive life. Trumpeting notes leap and sharp-edged, minor-key sounds march through the music with dramatic power. The rebounding low end undulates as clapping percussion moves along with darkly slicing bass.
I enjoy the way in which the effulgent synth melody dances with motivating liveliness and the drums flourish again. The whole track unfurls with bright light pouring from it. A secondary, quickly flickering series of notes moves behind the main melody as it suffuses the music with active movement and forward acceleration.
The drums and bass are solidly propulsive as the ringing notes above them fly out with unbounded strength. The round-sounding, popping notes move in the distance as the flashing melody jumps before the track ends on a heavily pounding kick drum and manic laughter.
“Survivor's Guilt” commences with widely rebounding, shining synth that moves expansively across a bass background as softly caressing notes glide out. The bass undulates, and now the sharp drums rebound as the drifting synth slips past with a melody that carries tenderness within it.
The low end has a pulsing power as the illuminating synth bounces through the track. The low end has deep power as a nasal-sounding synth pops into the music. I find the main melody calming while still expressing sadness. A lustrous synth now moves along in a settling slide as the contrastingly hard-hitting drums shape the music.
The shimmering synth moves in a steadily angular pattern before the soothing main melody sails out above the throbbing low end. This track provides a breath in the midst of the album’s intensity and shadow. Starry lights illuminate the track as the steadily repeating, brightly glowing synth moves above the solid bass and punchy drums. The track comes to an end with the lightly touching melody exuding melancholy.
A slicing sound flashes as the pounding kick drum and elevated, pulsing synth cry out to bring “You’re Going Down (Album Edit)” to life. The drums and bass provide an oscillating heartbeat as the brassy synth is suffused with light, sliding through the music with silken motion.
The low end continues to throb as a tense arpeggio carried on a hollow-sounding synth shifts. Open, panpipe-like synth undulates in steady motion, and the voiceover repeats “you're going down” as the low end pushes forward. The glimmering main melody dances with surprising gentleness despite the ferocious rush of the track. I enjoy the balance within this track.
Raised notes cry out as a warning sound rises, and laser-like sounds cut through. The high notes contain tightly wound energy as the low end becomes a slower pulse. The whole track pours light before ending on a high sound crying out and the drums pulsating weightily.
Conclusion
I enjoy the journey on which Descent takes me. The album moves across richly varied emotional landscapes and explores darkness, light, and many gradations in between. I feel as though I'm being taken through time and space as the music unfolds.
