The Magic Portal - “Vol.1: Portal To Dimension One”

Art by Luca of eLxAr

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

The Magic Portal's Vol.1: Portal To Dimension One is an emotionally complex, musically engaging audio exploration using a wide-ranging synth palette. The Magic Portal skilfully weaves mood, atmosphere and sound into a layered journey through diverse soundscapes. I am drawn to the way in which synthesized sounds can create intense feelings on this album.

I am struck by the melancholy that seems to move throughout Portal To Dimension One. In spite of the varied energy levels and tempos, a lingering sense of aching emotion permeates the tracks. The Magic Portal’s music here has a yearning quality that touches me, even when it is only subtly apparent. It makes me feel and that draws me in.

As The Magic Portal deploys his rich synth palette, he effectively uses the variety of tonal colours, timbres and auditory textures to paint feelings. I am pulled in by the way in which he manages to evoke joy, triumph, loss and pained emotion by combining, contrasting and interweaving synth sounds. I enjoy the way he can reach out to create emotion in me. I also want to mention Cocaine For Toothache’s production input on “Night Flight.

Melody is one of the strongest tools in The Magic Portal’s musical kit. He writes melodies that deftly capture feelings and sensations with clarity. There is a special skill that he shows when writing melodic parts which allows him to move seamlessly between different moods within a single track. The end result only deepens the feelings on the album.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“2977: Kids Playground” comes into existence with a soft background hiss while fragile synth glides in the distance as a subtle arpeggio rippling in. All the musical elements begin to crescendo as brightness fills the drifting synth while the arpeggio becomes a rapid rush.

Synth sparkles in a wash while solidly punching retro drums create a driving pulse along with active bass. Celestial synth moves in a hazy pattern while the giant drums and solid bass hit hard. After a drum flourish, the subtle arpeggios spin with a soft touch while the percussion presses on.

Now the main melody shines on a glistening synth, tinged with an emotional ache and tenderness that melts me. The huge drums and oscillating bass support the melancholy melody. The melody slips slowly past while air sweeps and arpeggios skip in spinning motion. Diaphanous sounds slide past while relentless drums and shimmering notes flash past.

The main melody floats in again with a tentative ache as it is shaped by twirling arpeggios and heavy percussion. A rounded, breezy synth solo dances through with a gossamer quality and gentle radiance, carrying me in a cradling melody that tugs at my heart and fades out huge bass, leaping light and an arpeggio that drifts to silence.

Scintillating synth sends light beaming out above an undulating bass line with a sinuous feeling to open "The Roaring City.” There’s a triumphant quality in the lead synth that marries with more pained emotions in the melody above smooth bass.

A slowly pulsating snare and kick drum combo adds more form to the lead synth and flowing bass. I am touched by the elegiac feeling in the sunlit lead synth as air begins to flow through the background. Crystal chimes call out with delicacy in a melody with a wistful air as bending synth swirls.

A secondary melody that roams. As the snare and kick drums pulse, lucent chords bathe the music in misty glow and bass scuds easily along. A diffuse gleam fills the background as calm descends on me in a veil. Kick drum throbs as piano-like notes shimmer gently and a snare drum ticks. Twisting synth cries out and chimes flit before the track ends.

“The Thick Blood Of The City” commences as muscled bass rapidly oscillates and elevated arpeggios with a cutting edge spin. Huge drums throb as clear synth flashes in a regular pulse. The bass has a tremendous elastic energy and the snare drum creates steady motion.

Cascading radiance slides from high synth as sinuous bass ripples. Tension increases in the rapid arpeggios while drums hit with real force. Drifting synth cries out in a haunting refrain, touching me with a lonely feeling as it floats in the ether.

Drums heave and an arpeggio calls out with a profound sense of disconnection while the power below it throbs on and drums pulsate evenly. Digital-sounding chimes trickle through and silence falls.

Nasally flickering synth weaves above a rapidly trembling bass line to become a shimmering tide over punching drums and dark bass to kick off “Circuits." The underlying chords hold shadowy mystery while stellar glistening fills the cascading high notes.

Wide-sounding, effulgent synth cries out with dominant triumph that lifts me up. Sharply jangling, metallic notes ring out above the heavy weight below them. Wind sweeps as computerized notes tremble and heaving bass pushes on. Emotive strings wash through and the drumbeat adds intense strength below tumbling, razor-edged notes. The track fades on sparkling light.

“Night Flight” begins as distantly shining notes slip past and colossal bass slowly trembles. A rushing drumbeat moves as soft notes with a gossamer feeling glide past with a melancholy ache. The low end spools to propel the track onward. There’s a tentative feeling emanating from the delicately touching melody as spinning synth slices through.

The open-voiced, diffused lead synth has a trailing feeling as a xylophone-like instrument sings a tranquil melody to contrast to the ferocious low end. Cut glass chimes shiver and resonant, string-like notes intertwine while metallic, bell-like synth vibrates while the kick drum throbs softly.

Raised, glimmering notes trickle in and scudding drums guide on. There’s a pleasing sensation of being carried across vast skies, gliding on silent wings above the ground as it rushes past. There’s distance in the music as hugely pulsating synth and liquid sounds end the track.

Bass with Stygian depths rumbles as galactic sounds slip past to start "One Portal Closes, Another Opens.” A bass heartbeat underpins angular, medium-high synth that entangles as it floats past. Rounded, stellar notes with a pained quality shine as hazy chimes shimmer with fragility.

Gigantic drum and bass motion contrasts with the glimmering chimes. There is great strength in the low end compared to the more uncertain high synth as breathy notes sweep. Piercing synth calls out in a melody that draws me above the clouds, effectively creating illumination as it cries out.

The surging bass tide below growls on while drums thunder. There’s a sense of deep nobility in the elevated synth as it cuts through the other sonic elements. Chimes flicker with a distant galaxy’s light as the energy below towers before silence falls.

Conclusion

Portal To Dimension One is music that creates a unique sonic world and then invites the listener in to explore it fully. It’s an album that engages me and keeps me traveling along on the journey on which it takes me.