Wellside - Soul-Searcher
Review by Karl Magi
Overall Album Impressions
Wellside’s Soul-Searcher is a beautifully interwoven synth tapestry that conveys expressive emotion and a deep tranquility that suffuses the entire album. The way in which the artist takes me on an internal voyage, reflecting the melancholy and gentleness present in his writing, gives me a chance to reminisce and reflect on my own personal journeys. I am washed along by the mixture of motion and calm that permeates this entire album.
One of the most important components of Soul-Searcher is the way in which Wellside chooses and employs his different synth tones, timbres and textures. He has a painterly ability to combine all of these different sonic elements into a cohesive and beautiful whole. Each different sound is used like an orchestral instrument to evoke emotion and atmosphere, while balancing together to create harmony.
Another element that makes Soul-Searcher so engaging is Wellside’s ability to compose superb melodies. His melodic writing is full of heart and tenderness, conveying a plethora of emotions—from meditative serenity to joyful celebration. Each melody is a tiny gem that sparkles within the entirety of the album and fuses with the others to transport the listener across a mental landscape that is both touching and deeply alive as it unfolds.
I find that this album gives me the space for contemplation while still keeping my ears engaged. Wellside is able to create an ethereal, meditative atmosphere without it becoming overly ambient or dull. The way in which he combines dynamic percussion with a wide variety of soothing and gently evocative sounds carries me on a tide of thought and imbues me with sensations of joy and peace.
My Favourite Tracks Analyzed
“Forever” commences as extended, levitating synth flows through the music in a pastel glide. Tremulous, quickly swirling synth notes grow in strength, flashing through the music as the massive bass begins to pulsate. The bass has an undulating motion as the kick drum begins to throb and the beaming notes above it jump into a dynamic pattern. There's rebounding strength in the low end as the sharp-edged synth oscillates.
A round-sounding, joyful synth carries a melody that conveys lightness and enjoyment. The drums and bass throb beneath as a shimmering synth frolics through the music with uplifting liveliness. Broadly flaring, entangled notes dance through the music as the muffled bass throbs. The low end guides the music, with elastic synth supporting the main melody, which calls out with a slightly misty, celebratory feeling. Twinkling notes shine above the guiding low end and I find myself smiling as the music comes to an end.
Drifting notes tremble gently as they echo out into the wide-open spaces around them to start "Isolate." The synth has a tentative quality that rapidly grows into a more assertive pulse as sweeping sounds flow in the distance and the monumental bass rumbles. A hollow synth echoes out with a tranquil melody, curling around me as the shaping drums begin to rebound.
The bass is dense and a softly comforting melody slips past with breezy delicacy. Flute-like notes slide along as rounder sounds add weight behind them. A reverent choir calls out and a metallic, rebounding synth continues to gleam. Tightly wound, flashing notes tiptoe past as the bass and drums throb.
A ticking hi-hat moves with the drums and lambent synth sails with graceful delicacy. The worshipful, choir-like sound wanders and a smoothly unfurling synth carries me along with carefree energy, cascading as the flute-like sounds call out before silence falls.
Deep, vibrating synth shivers in a steady pulse as winds swirl in the distance and an open sound calls out to begin "Soul-Searcher." The bass continues to oscillate as a far-away, softly gliding synth moves through with a tentative touch. Softly chiming synth notes are joined by tapping drums before a hard-hitting beat emerges. The glistening synth winds through the music, carrying a melody that draws out a feeling of nostalgic tenderness in me.
Open-sounding, reverberant chimes carry a secondary melody that cocoons me in warmth as it unfolds. The background shivers and a distant intermingling synth adds rounded edges. The punchy snare drum and solid kick drum are touched by sharper, minor-key notes that sweep past, while a sparkling sound touches my ears with soothing feelings.
The drums and bass fade away as waves of glowing synth wander and the bass continues to oscillate with solid weight. The main melody flares into life again and an even brighter, more tightly wound synth rings out with a more encouraging feeling compared to the earlier ache.
The drums and bass continue to form a rich heartbeat as a worshipful choir sound floats in the distance and tiny, feather light notes brush softly in the background. The track ends as the drums fade away and the bass pulses into silence.
“Tender” grows into life with a subtle glow as static crackles delicately in the distance. Looming bass flows beneath the steadily shining synth, expanding out into space.
An easily sliding synth with a warm quality carries a caressing and lightly touching melody that breathes with wonderful gentleness. The synth twinkles with luminosity as a reverberating, echoing drum kicks out above the bass tide.
A ticking hi-hat moves along with a synth that wraps me in brilliant radiance, making me smile. The bass is colossal and now fades as static lightly touches the background and the melody fades quietly away.
Rapidly jumping, glimmering synth hops through the music in a wandering flow as the bass begins to rush underneath to open “Polarity.” The bass speeds along as the synth bounces and a surrounding tone flickers in the distance.
Now the drums hit hard as the energetically zigzagging synth dances over the top and the bass rumbles below. The snare drums are clean and fresh as the lingering sound in the background emanates enfolding light. The track has a continually moving quality that motivates me as a silky, twisting synth winds with peaceful lightness.
Static crackles as the bass grows quieter and a reverberant sound trembles out. The kick drum begins to thud again, moving the track onward as a brilliantly flashing synth dances back into the music with motivational motion. Full-sounding notes intermingle with the hard-hitting drums and rich bass, flitting through the music with unstoppable dynamism.
The drums and bass drop away as dazzling sounds intertwine and wriggle together, exuding sunlight. The drums and bass are punchy as the luminescent notes in the distance flow together. Clapping percussion moves with the angular, leaping notes that guide the song into silence.
The fragile synth calls out like golden petals opening to begin “Sunflower”. A reverberating bass flow moves with a windy, steadily trembling round tone, throbbing before the kick drum and ticking hi-hat shape the music. The bouncing synth exudes soft light as the springy bass and sharp drums push the track forward.
Dynamism and uplifting liveliness emanate from the airily caressing synth that carries the main melody with jubilant emotion. This music is a definite stress reliever for me, letting the tension come out of my shoulders as it unfolds. Warming sounds exhale from the background as the glowing, frolicking synth skips through the music with unrestrained hope, while the low end jumps underneath.
All of the glistening sounds intertwine before the track floats off into a silky glide as slowly echoing, lamenting notes move. The dancing beat spins out underneath the caressing sounds above it and the track sings with happiness and relaxation.
“Smile For Me” begins with misty, flowing notes, joined by a smoothly rounded synth and an unevenly pulsating beat. The shiny notes flow together in a gently washing pattern as a nasal-sounding, lustrous synth carries a swinging melody that fills me with feelings of nostalgic positivity.
A flute-like synth with a broadly floating sound carries a calming melody above the steadily bursting drums. The full-sounding synth pulse vibrates through the music in widely moving waves as the percussion continues to guide the track. A tightly wound, medium-high synth carries an uplifting melody as the bass descends.
I enjoy the jazzy quality of the synth, adding an energizing element before the tremulously touching synth carries the more delicate melodic pattern. The jazz-influenced synth spins with a celebratory ease and fills the track with light before the song fades away.
Conclusion
Soul-Searcher is both an internal voyage and a pleasure to listen to. Wellside embarks on his own personal exploration, but in doing so, he carries his audience along with him. This is music that I could fall asleep to—not in the sense of being dull, but rather in the sense of promoting tranquility and allowing for a gentle dive into one's inner world.
