The Blue Book Project - Almost Human
Review by Karl Magi
Overall Album Impressions
The Blue Book Project’s Almost Human is a rich mixture of layered textures with well-crafted melodies, thoughtful songwriting and excellent guest performances. As a whole, it is a beautiful instrumental and lyrical exploration of the human condition and experiences we all share.
One of the stronger aspects of Almost Human is the melodic writing that The Blue Book Project demonstrates throughout. He crafts nuanced and touching melodies that are full of emotion—sometimes bright and encouraging, other times dark and melancholy. Either way, the melodies draw me in and capture me with their expressive and direct feelings, adding to a fuller listening experience.
I also enjoy the songwriting that The Blue Book Project brings to Almost Human. The lyrics are full of nostalgia, memory and a mingling of hope and melancholy. I appreciate the way the artist captures emotion and transmits it to me through his words. The songs are filled with strong imagery and emotional clarity, creating a deeper attachment to the album.
Another strong aspect of Almost Human are the guest performances featured on it. Each guest brings a unique vision to the music, adding their own touch to the overall approach the artist takes. Whether it’s the vocals on “Castle in the Sky” or “Dreamers in the Night”, the performances are heartwarming and deeply touching.
My Favourite Tracks Analyzed
“Midnight Drives” comes into being as an easily spinning, intensely luminous synth twirls out alongside a warmly energizing arpeggio while the thudding kick drum pulses. A dreamy quality fills the smoothly levitating synth as it dances through the music while the snare drum kicks.
Undulating notes exude luxurious brightness as the drums flourish and reverberant chimes ring out with a celebratory melody. A sense of freedom and the open road under the wheels of a beautiful sports car pervades the music as the tensely leaping notes with a metallic ring skip along.
The drums continue to punch and flourish while the trumpeting notes carry a melody that fills me with an easy-going lightness and a sense of adventure. The chimes ring ethereally again, spreading their graceful luminosity. Now the twisting, nasal-sounding synth carries a noble melody with a slightly distorted feeling before the song drives to an end.
Solidly pumping drums and hollow percussion move with a distantly surging bass pulse to start “Overload”. Now the computerized-sounding synth shifts in towering walls of energetic sound as the drums and bass continue to pulsate. A robotic-sounding noise moves in the distance as the steady pulse oscillates. Gliding notes intertwine in the distance as a happily glistening melody sings an encouraging tune above the steadily bursting low end.
Hollow percussion pops as the brightly dancing notes interlock with flaring liveliness. The melody that slides in grabs hold of me and pulls me along, eager and joyous, moving through the music with glowing ease. The drums continue to add shape while the melody sings with an affectionate feeling. A darkly angular pulsation rises and falls rapidly, sharp edges cutting as the digital-sounding pulse continues to move, while the brighter notes glitter before the continual pulse fades.
A razor-sharp, medium-high synth carries an enigmatic melody out above sweeping winds as “Almost Human” starts. The kick drum begins to pulsate in a steady beat as the sharp-edged synth repeats the melodic pattern with hypnotic energy.
The snare drum comes in and bursts now as chimes ring out with a ghostly melody and the kick drum is joined by the solid bass. A broadly intertwining synth shifts with cosmic delicacy as the low end pushes the music forward. The chimes flash as the melody slips past on a drifting synth. A robotic voice comes in now as the drums and bass accelerate, with hollow percussion adding an additional element.
The lead synth has a clean, metallic sound as it rings out, carrying the mystical melody. A bending, twisting synth solos with a wildly arcing feeling as crystalline chimes call out with a gentler and more aching melody. Underneath it all, the drums and bass continue to launch forward with driving energy before the track falls silent.
“Dreamers In The Night” commences as shimmering, resonant bells ring out along with rich bass as a firm kick drum pulses. Alex from eLxAr’s voice is full of abiding gentleness and a light, airy quality.
Shimmering chimes dance with flaring radiance as a brassy synth calls out with encouraging energy. The drums burst along with the vocals which ache with a nostalgia that permeates the music. The chorus soars up with Alex’s voice brimming with expressive energy. Widely glistening bells ring out with gentle luminosity as drums and bass shape the music.
The chorus rises up with positivity and warmth as a broadly gleaming synth fills the background. Bells tremble with brightness as Alex's delicate voice captures the music's dreamy quality. A disco section with flashing string-like synth leaps out before the chorus lifts up with joy and guitar sings out with dynamic life. The vocals mix with the other musical elements before silence falls.
The storyteller talks about having a flashback of the days when they were young and could be “chasing dreams under the stars." They were living their lives and enjoying themselves under the city lights “where freedom never dies." They wore leather jackets and kept their sunglasses on at night as they felt “wild in the neon light." It was all about vintage cars and late night drives where it felt so good to break the rules.
Our narrator talks about him and his friends being "dreamers in the night" as they danced all night long and played music to feel alive. He goes on to say that the night air was full of disco beats. There were “midnight tales in every street” along with their echoing heart beats. He talks about how "synth notes and electric guitars resonate in our hearts.”
The storyteller and his friends left “footprints on the vinyl floor.” They were full of vitality and feeling “lost in time” as they stayed living through the night. He concludes that they were "wild hearts of the night “ as they danced under neon lights and dreamed, lived and loved.
Warmly intertwining, smooth synth tumbles as a solid drum and bass pulse shifts as “Castle in the Sky” begins. Piano chords are gentle and aching as Nicolas’ softly touching vocals carry the delicately caressing melody.
Arpeggios with a shining radiance leap and Nicolas captures melancholy and wistful thought in his lyrical voice.
Bell-like synth carries the main melody, caressing me with painful tenderness. The softly affecting vocals slip past as the drums and bass add shape. Glistening arpeggios wash through and the chorus fills me with deep emotion as the track progresses.
Now the softly twirling synths and bell-like keyboard move as the drum beat changes tempo, while Nicolas' voice and the backing vocals create a dreamy, hurt atmosphere. Chimes ring with soft luminosity and the chorus arcs upward as the guitar cuts in. The arpeggios undulate and the track comes to an end on the expressive vocals.
Our narrator is turning "a blaze into a haze of half-remembered days" as he brings what's "retrograde into the future." As he builds a sky castle, he burns his bridges.
The songwriter adds that "it's something nobody can see, nobody else but me." He says that he cannot keep his friendships safe "from turning black and white." He says that he conceals them in his pocket, just in case they start to fade away.
Our narrator’s burning bridges remain unseen to others, but when he glances around, realizing that everything has changed, he wonders, "What was really true?" As he searches for an unchanging thing, he discovers that he is starting to change himself.
Fascinating, open-voiced percussion rebounds as clapping and seeking sounds add to the variety of percussive effects to open “Life's a Beach”. Sharp-edged, shifting rhythms move as the hollow drums float out to create a groove. Trumpeting shimmies with a hip-shaking motion as the drums move around one another. A panpipe-like melody skips out in a chilled-out and playful tune, wriggling through the music with a laid-back sensation. The tropical vibes that emanate from the track draw me in with their fun and easygoing nature.
Undulating bass is joined by quickly trickling notes that shimmer past as the clapping percussion adds a steady heartbeat. Brassy tones move with a shuffling, cool energy and a melody that has a summery vibe. A xylophone flickers in the background before the active bass cascades and throbs. The glowing sound has a groovy swing to it while nasal-sounding notes wind out with relaxation. A steady, warm glow suffuses the background as the bright shuffle is joined by bubbling pipes that cruise to a conclusion.
Conclusion
Almost Human is an emotional and musical journey that carries me through lusciously layered sounds and melodic beauty while capturing deep emotion and a sense of dreamy hope and remembrance. I could listen to this album many times and always find it enjoyable.
