Walmind — Night Ride
Review by Karl Magi
Overall Album Impressions
Walmind’s Night Ride combines a varied and well-considered synth palette with Ligia’s expressive vocal performances and a smoothly flowing overall feeling to create a richly layered, warmly emotive album. Serenity and peace is balanced with driving energy and positive emotion as each track unfolds and carries the music onward.
As the synths weave together on Night Ride, they reveal a soundscape that roams from pulse-pounding drums to aquatically drifting sounds, making stops along the way to include flashing string-like sounds and rumbling bass. The overall effect is lushly layered in a way that keeps my ears and my imagination engaged.
Ligia’s vocal performances are strong on Night Ride. Her voice has a compelling, emotive quality to it that captures the warm and wanting emotions in the song lyrics. There’s a trembling passion in her vocals that adds extra feeling to the music on the album. She’s an asset to the production for sure.
I also enjoy the melodic writing that Walmind has done for the album. His melodies have a gentle and touching quality to them when it fits and can also generate energy and dynamism when that’s what suits the music. Each melody has been carefully crafted and fits well within its musical context.
My Favourite Tracks Analyzed
“No Words Could Tell” comes to life as full, smoothly flowing synths expand in flaring chords over throbbing retro drums. Gleaming, medium-high synths flash out and from a melodic line that is delicately caressing and softly optimistic. The drums and bass have real weight as the glowing synth carries the encouraging melody.
Now drums lightly tap and tick as the broad swathes of rounded synth flow and grow behind the brighter synth thread wriggling through. Again the melody calls out, deep with yearning and feelings of possibility that I find touching. The track floats as deep bass swells and extended chords flow. The main melody flashes out again, embodying positive progress while the drums and bass shape the other musical elements. As the song ends, flaring notes glitter and then fall silent.
Expanding synth notes flower into the music along with lush, descending bass to open “The Sound Of Your Heart.” String-like, rippling synth flickers out as the vocal melody, brimming with expression, is carried by Ligia’s voice. The melody is passionate and dynamic as the colossal drums throb and quick synth notes add brightness. Ligia’s vocal poise and power draws me in as the open-sounding, elevated synth flashes out in a hopeful melody.
The drums softly tick and Ligia’s voice is intensely emotive as it carries the hopeful vocal melody. Sunny, glittering synth carries the main melody and through it all, the huge drumbeat and solid bass provide a strong foundation. Synth ripples wash over slowly shifting bass, trickling out in a hollow line before the heartening vocal melody moves. The lead synth line bursts with need before the song ends on shining notes.
Our narrator talks about feeling all the love and affection she dreamed of in the other person’s arms. She says that she can see “all the galaxies in the universe shining” in the other person’s eyes and talks about how she hears “the sound of your heart” every day.
“Time Is Over” starts as resonant, full-sounding synth bubbles up as an airy flow glides behind it. Laidback drums tap in to add some shape while swirling, nasal-sounding synth drifts in soothing notes. Arpeggios slowly spin in textural circles while the drums guide the music onward. I enjoy the purity and relaxation that radiates from the music.
A watery, gliding segment comes in as the drums fade out and aquamarine visuals are created. Percussion accents the low, rich arpeggios while the nasal, medium-low synth conveys a sense of tumbling drift. Now the drums drop out once more and an upwelling sonic current creates slow ripples before the percussion shapes the track again. This is music full of a meditative sense of quiet floating and aquatic peace.
Quickly fluttering synth pulses move over a dense bass background as the gigantic retro drums pulsate to commence “Tell Me Why.” Ligia’s voice is luscious as it carries the melody that mingles need and a sense of aspiration over the solid drumbeat and undulating bass. Medium-high, glistening synth carries the man melody as it reaches out to dance over the continually shaping drumbeat. Ligia’s vocals are intensely emotive over the drum heartbeat and bass float.
The vocal melody effectively pours out a feeling of want and ache. Medium-low, glowing synth unfolds the melody’s wishful dreaming feeling. Ligia’s voice is compelling and the lead synth sails along with a sunny glint. The drums are steady and weighty as the bass wells up below them. A secondary vocal melody unfurls in a gentle line and the lead synth cascades out in a shiny melodic pattern. The chorus rises, tremulous with feeling as the massive drums throb on. The track ends on the needy, hoping melody.
Our storyteller has heard that the object of her affection is leaving and she asks “What can I say if you’re dreaming?” She goes on to say that she was told the other person is alone and she asks what to do if she’s in love with that person. She questions why she has to love that person and wonders “Where have you been all my life?"
“V8” opens with the lumpy idle of a big V8 engine as expanding synth and a steady bass oscillation along with pounding drums move. Slowly spinning arpeggios glide and the engine throbs as a medium-low, resonant, nasal-sounding synth carries a pleasantly aching melody over the bass oscillation.
The arpeggios have a tense, fragmented feeling and the resonant lead synth sings the melancholy melody as the heavy drums and powerful bass add direction. The V8 rumbles again and the nasal, rounded synth carries the hurting melody as the drums and bass throb, adding slowly evolving motion before the music stops.
Void deep bass flows and quick, rough-edged synths burst to begin “Sistema Universo.” A snare drum ticks and taps to create a lightly touching beat as warm synths flare. Trickling, full-sounding synth trembles through the track and higher, round notes also wander through the music. Drums shiver and bass adds deeply drifting weight to the proceedings.
A segment full of quickly flaring synths and extremely deep bass moves in as the drums guide the music. I am enamoured of the track’s gently undulating feeling and the elevated synths that move with dynamic energy. There’s a luscious, watery glide underneath the other musical elements. Nasal synths climb and remind me of slowly rising bubbles in a water column. There’s an easy slipping feeling in this track as expanding sounds wash and move through the track.
“Magic Kiss” comes to life as slightly gruff, undulating bass is touched by sparkling, slowly rising synth arpeggios. Ligia’s richly expressive voice carries the affectionate lyrics and the caressing vocal melody climbs, touched by the sparkling arpeggios. Xylophone twinkles in rising lines over the solid guidance of the drums and active bass, giving the music a metallic glitter.
Synth pulses accent the needy, heartfelt melody carried in the strong vocals. I enjoy the deep feeling flowing through Ligia’s voice as shimmering xylophone rises in glowing lines and is given shape and direction by drums and bass. Now the song sails into a breathily moving segment cut by sharper synth pulses. The throbbing drums returns along with the encouraging xylophone sound and the steady, rough-edged accents. The song ends on medium-high arpeggiating notes and a bass underpinning.
The narrator talks about how she sees the other person on a Monday and asks for them to wait for her so she can cross the street. She says that the other person is a dream come true for her and adds that when that person looks at her it makes her shiver. Now our storyteller says that “your smile is mesmerizing and I wish it to be mine.” Romantic feelings fill her and her heart races as she talks about “the magic in your kiss.”
Warming chords rise upwards in enfolding lines as broadly floating arpeggios slowly turn to open “Reconstruction.” The smoothly pulsing drumbeat and slightly rough-edged bass form a steady motion to shape the track. Chiming, yet string-like synth carries the main melody which exudes calming emotion as it slides over the easily throbbing drumbeat.
I enjoy the way in which the melody washes through the music as the slowly revolving background synths add shape and relaxation drifts through. Gleaming, string-like synth carries the serene melody. The drumbeat adds direction and the bass rises up from underneath to lift the music and guide it to a conclusion on the laidback melody.
Conclusion
The combination of engaging melodies, strong vocal performances and layered synth richness makes Night Ride an enjoyable listening experience. I am excited to hear more from Walmind as he continues to produce music and refine his sound.
