168澳洲幸运5官网 Electro Music Review | Music Review World https://musicreviewworld.com/reviews/electro-music-review/ Sun, 16 Feb 2025 18:48:38 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2 https://musicreviewworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Music-Review-World_Mobile-Ret-100x96.png 168澳洲幸运5官网 Electro Music Review | Music Review World https://musicreviewworld.com/reviews/electro-music-review/ 32 32 168澳洲幸运5官网 BujuRocks – CALLNOMORE (Single Review) https://musicreviewworld.com/bujurocks-callnomore-single-review/ Sun, 16 Feb 2025 18:42:47 +0000 https://musicreviewworld.com/?p=8651 Today’s review is “CALLNOMORE”, the new EDM single from BujuRocks. “The frequencies I hear from the universe are a transition on my music.” -BujuRocks This single purports to be an EDM dance track, So let’s have a listen … On first listen, I could definitely hear this EDM Dance track in an LGBTQ or straight […]

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Today’s review is “CALLNOMORE”, the new EDM single from BujuRocks.

“The frequencies I hear from the universe are a transition on my music.” -BujuRocks

This single purports to be an EDM dance track, So let’s have a listen …

On first listen, I could definitely hear this EDM Dance track in an LGBTQ or straight nightclub with vibrantly colored strobe lights beating in time with the music. I’m not a particularly a fan of auto-tuned voices, but it is done particularly well in this dance track. “Call no more, I’m done for sure.”

The track kicks off with a hypnotic vibrating keyboard riff that reminds me of a musical waterfall. There are a lot of repetitive lyrics in this song, but the voice is very engaging. The artist’s look, if not also AI, reminds me very much of Orianthi, without the guitar. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

Sounds like programmed drums and MIDI keyboard parts, but the beat is hypnotic and very danceable. “If you want to know how to win my heart.”

Lots of 16th and 32nd notes. An audible warble in the beat which adds to the track’s hypnotic feel. I enjoy the twisted sound of the second voice that comes in later in the track. Personally, I’m not sure this singer needs all the over-the-top autotune, but it is a fitting stylistic choice for this popular genre of power-pop/EDM dance. Find the nearest dance floor!

SCORE/Excellent: Being LGBTQ (all those, lol) myself, I have ventured into many a gay nightclub, including the legendary Starck Club in Dallas back in the day, and several EDM dance clubs in Europe, and this single very much captures the sound of that vibrant dance your ass off the environment. I see lots of sweaty dancers in this artist’s future. If you like hypnotic dance grooves, this track is for you! Much love, Beth

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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168澳洲幸运5官网 BujuRocks – Vegas Slots Spins Free (Single Review) https://musicreviewworld.com/bujurocks-vegas-slots-spins-free-single-review/ Mon, 13 Jan 2025 12:50:09 +0000 https://musicreviewworld.com/?p=8295 In a world where AI is constantly progressing and continuously intertwined with our lives, we have to essentially get used to it being used in many fields, including music. There’s this constant hypothetical debate between the pompous archetype of a tech bro and the slight neo-luddite sentiments of an organic artist. Still, the truth is, […]

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In a world where AI is constantly progressing and continuously intertwined with our lives, we have to essentially get used to it being used in many fields, including music. There’s this constant hypothetical debate between the pompous archetype of a tech bro and the slight neo-luddite sentiments of an organic artist. Still, the truth is, automation has crept up within the parameters of what we do, especially in terms of music, for a while now. It goes back to the evolution of music production itself, and the evolution of DAWs, making tedious processes easier for people to have some mental space to house the computation of other things.

Meet BujuRocks with her newest single ‘Vegas Slots Spins Free’, a self-described creatively ‘chaotic’ song that merges the desire for getting away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and running to a tropical beach. The artist itself is extremely elusive, with most of her social media laden with AI-enhanced interpretations of her videos and existence. I think this adds on to the allure and the mystique, in a weird way. BujuRocks also describes herself as a conversational catalyst, aiming to spark interesting discussions and exploration of new ideas.

The song is a mélange of techniques typically used in electronic dance music. I think it has a very strong introduction, coming in with a forceful but funky groove. It has elements of rhythm littered throughout the track, which helps to keep the listener somewhat hooked. My biggest problem with the track itself is the lack of good synthesis between the vox, vocal chops, and certain effects. I don’t know if the groove itself is a drum loop, but a bit of mastering could’ve been done. There’s two vocal sequences in the track, one which I assume is an AI-generated voice (if it isn’t, I sincerely apologise- it just sounds different from the other vocal track) and another vocal track which I assume is an actual recording of the artist uttering certain words to help elevate the theme of the song.

I think the track has a very interesting aim and goal, and it can definitely work as a fresh song that combines a good, steady electronic influence with mystique and a tantalizing nature. However, I think a lot of work needs to be done with mastering those aspects which I’ve pointed out before. The groove itself and the bass behind the track does not need much mastering, as it already sounds pretty clean. It also unfortunately sounds like a mix, which is not what we (typically) want in a standalone track. It just needs work in terms of being more ‘cohesive’. Then again, that’s just to my ear- it could’ve been a stylistic choice to make it less cohesive anyway.

As a reader, what is your interpretation of this song? I think it has potential, but unfortunately, something’s off.

Score/Good: ‘Vegas Slots Spins Free’ is a track that has immense potential, especially from the perspective of the genre it wishes to emulate, but it needs more refining to be interpreted as a polished track. I can’t seem to get my brain to take this song as entirely finished, and I wish the artist nothing but the best- I don’t think you should give up, but at least refine the song.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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168澳洲幸运5官网 Milad Nazeri – ArtLESS (Album Review) https://musicreviewworld.com/milad-nazeri-artless-album-review/ Tue, 31 Dec 2024 17:31:08 +0000 https://musicreviewworld.com/?p=8144 It’s been a while since we’ve been graced with a multidisciplinary body of work, here at Music Review World. A lot of songs and releases have a proficient aim and method of execution, but only a select few get to have the exclusive title of a multidisciplinarian. I elaborated further about this particular title in […]

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It’s been a while since we’ve been graced with a multidisciplinary body of work, here at Music Review World. A lot of songs and releases have a proficient aim and method of execution, but only a select few get to have the exclusive title of a multidisciplinarian. I elaborated further about this particular title in my previous review of Milad Nazeri’s work here, and now he’s back with his new release, titled ‘ArtLESS’.

Known to Music Review World as a highly proficient artist combining various subgenres of EDM and house to produce a result that is potent, engaging and mind-blowing, this current release serves as a compilation of unfinished and unreleased tracks from different phases of his 30-year career in music. This release will include more subgenres roped together to form a cohesive body of art, such as genres like drum and bass, EDM, R&B as well as pop. The songs on this album were little snippets of ideas that were never fully completed or released until now.

ARTLess is described as more than just a ‘compilation’, however. It’s a project that bears Milad Nazeri’s personal touches to it, from start to the end. It reflects the changes he has experienced throughout his career. With significant shifts happening in his personal life, this album is also the last release he will make for a long time. As a symbolic end to a chapter, it quantifies his thoughts, ideas and explorations of his previous phase before things get more uncertain towards the future.

The album also offers a glimpse into the wacky and spontaneous undertones of the creative process, and the journey of making music across many years. This is evident in some of the period-specific influences throughout the album, from 90s R&B to early 2010s EDM. The tracks also represent moments of inspiration, growth and experimentation that were the ‘odd ones out’- never truly fitting into the theme of earlier projects.

Let’s embark on a free, spontaneous, and expectation-less journey… into the world of Milad Nazeri.

The album truly begins with a spectacular number, not being short of energy and intent. ‘Gotta Go’ starts off strong, bringing on the motif of an electronic-heavy soundscape from his previous release, with the new addition of vocals. It gives off a very fresh take on a specific, dynamic subgenre of 90s House, mixed with a bit of Balearic House influences in the swing and the way the bass interacts with the beat itself. In a way, the heavy swing also gives it an unexpected 1920s feel. The vibrance and soul of the vocalist’s voice helps to elevate the effortless suave of the track, as it goes through motions of spatial direction within the panning and mastering methods throughout the track. Honestly, one thing I love about the artist’s music style is how you can ‘pick out’ various genres unfolding at almost every half-measure of the track. The syncopation even mimics Romanian house in some instances of the track. Extremely dynamic, glossy and engaging.

The second track, ‘Lost’, bears a different soundscape. It seems to mix elements of rock, rock-pop and electronic music as well, which I find quite interesting. The way it mixes all of these genres is actually quite subtle, without any clashes inbetween the transitions. This track gives off a more dated sound, reminding of pop ballads from the early 2010s and how they used to mix a four to floor beat with a more pop-esque song structure. Unsurprisingly, the choice of vocals for this track also match the slightly sombre, ‘release of energy’ feel within the song. It has tones of vulnerability, all while providing a bit of an emotional oomph from the EDM techniques. Even though it does sound a little dated initially, the breakdown in the middle of the song gives it a breath of fresh air. It bears a breakbeat, followed by a buildup to a beat drop. I think that’s extremely novel and interesting, and could actually start a movement in terms of new production techniques.

The third track, ‘Come Back’, follows a similar theme to the previous track, expanding upon more sombre and serious themes and methods of execution within the soundscape. It also has the same compositional structure, mixing a pop ballad with slight trap elements and a heavy electronic influence. It has a slight melodic trance note to it, reminding me of tracks from 2007 – 2012. The vocals are very smartly manipulated, giving a layered and autotuned feel. This actually helps to give the track a lot of dimension, after being deceivingly predictable. Once again, the artist shines in the ‘break’ or the bridge of the songs, infusing a fury of genre-bending electronica.

The fourth track, ‘Things Will Never Change’, ironically changes up the flow of the album up til this point. It has a very late 2010 – 2014 electro-R&B fusion to its sound. It almost puts me in the mind of ‘Whatcha Say’ by Jason Derulo, especially with its production and in the chords and percussion. I think this song has a lot of potential as a ‘newer song’ that revives this style of music, but something in the vocals truly throws me off. I’m not sure if its just merely the production, but it lacks a certain authenticity to it. I admit that it’s probably a bias on my end, as it does sound like the output typically produced by artificial intelligence trying to emulate vocals from that time period. Hey, one day the signs of ‘human authenticity’ would also be replicated by AI, don’t you think? I appreciate the slight change in transposition and chord structure within the bridge of the song, as it helps to inject a sense of excitability within the song. If you miss the style of music associated with people like Jordin Sparks, this is definitely the track for you.

The fifth track, ‘Hold your Hand’, delves into a soundscape more in tune with the electro-funk revival associated with acts like Bruno Mars and even modern-day K-Pop bands. It has all the elements of the typical Motown funk sound, mixed with a technological boost and some furnishings of trap music production from the mid 2010s. It has a very ‘crowd-esque’ feel in the vocals and the layering, as if the lyrics were meant to be sung in the midst of a crowd. I’d say that this track is definitely one of the more ‘epic’ tracks on the album, with extremely crisp production and a delectably proficient improvision in the bridge. The production on the vocals reminds me of what Zapp and Roger could’ve been if they came out on the scene today. It has a very, very immersive soundscape. This song will envelope you and your whole consciousness as you listen to it, blocking everything out. I find that quality quite fascinating.

The sixth track, ‘Livin a Dream’ amplifies the previous theme of electro-funk even more, with a definite 80s funk-pop influence. If I mentioned Zapp and Roger before, this song is even more of that- it’s like as if Computer Love had a hardware upgrade. It is very metallic in its feel, and dynamic as well. If this song has a colour, it would be gold and silver with accents of purple. The way the chords and the melodies hug each other in this track is truly solid, complete with the vaporwave feel of the beat itself. I think this track is almost genius in its execution. I typically abhor tracks from today that have an 80s influence, as I think it’s overdone and it never really sounds ‘new’ or futuristic enough. However, this track is a very rare exception.

The seventh track, ‘Falling to Pieces’ is an emotional piece that takes you through a more sombre, yet determined sequence. It feels like a mixture of modern indie rock and a bit of OneRepublic, mixed with the vocal tone of a person influenced by Tears for Fears. I get the intent of this track, but personally, it’s a bit too commercial and predictable for me. I wholly acknowledge that this is my subjective preference, and I think this track has the capability to resonate with A LOT more people given the emotional depth and intensity within this track. It has slight elements of dubstep and trip hop, giving the track an edgier feel instead of merely being a sad story.

The eighth track, ‘Made for You’ unfortunately sounds like the most generic song on the album thus far. I can’t help but think of songs produced by Stargate specifically from 2010 to 2012 within this song. It’s not a bad song at all, the production is wonderful, and the composition is adequate, but it just does not stick out to me at all, given the high proficiency of all of the other songs on the album. The bridge within this song does save the song a little bit, but unless you’re a huge fan or have a personal bias towards songs like this, it won’t wow you.

The ninth track, ‘Dance Like’, starts off with a very ‘crowd-intensive’ intro, as if it were meant to build up a crowd and hype them up. Honestly, it’s very potent and energetic, and I think even if you don’t have a personal bias towards songs like this, you’d definitely understand and feel the intent of the track. It still mixes elements from neo-funk with Nazeri’s signature style, mixed with elements of dubstep as well. This is also another immersive track that I can picture a vivid dance number too. It is also very innovative, in terms of the bridge- it has very minor aspects of acid as well.

The tenth track, ‘Tonight’, dives deeper into heavier dubstep-electropop soundscapes. I can’t help but also think that this particular track bears a strong similarity to 3OH!3’s work, in particular, songs like ‘STARSTRUKK’. It also reminds me of Pitbull’s rebrand into more dance-pop and electronic heavy party songs from the early 2010s. It does have aspects of breakbeat, but I feel like this song would fare better without being pigeonholed into a particularly ‘2010s’ party song by eliminating the vocals. The tone of the vocals and the type of voices sprinkled throughout the album definitely gives a limitation to the impression of some of the tracks.

The eleventh track, ‘My Gift’, mellows things off from the previous track by going more into a softer, delicate and emotionally potent number. It still has flairs of electronica sprinkled throughout each measure of the backing track, but the lyrical tone and the chord structure definitely makes it more sentimental, which I’m sure is done on purpose to have thematic consistency within this track. One of the stars to me in this track is actually the bass. It’s not necessarily the main star of the track, but it ties it all together- being the middle ground between the electronic motifs and the slightly more acoustic influences. The little motifs sprinkled throughout the track are also significant from the perspective of sound design, as it helps to give the song some metaphorical sparkles.

Finally, the album closes with the track ‘Epilogue’, an intense and powerful track to end the album with. It definitely bears a drum ‘n’ bass background, but it has dimensions by adding influences like tribal house and breakbeat to it as well. The rogue vocals in the track also remind me of the frenzy behind the track ‘Smack my B—- Up’ by The Prodigy. In a weird way, this track feels like a complete zeitgeist. It’s chaotic, but not sporadic, it has a direction. It fits the uncertainty and the level of intensity behind things these days. I think this song definitely has universal appeal, with its fast pace and dynamic motion. It almost reminds me of a more cyberpunk version of the premise of Crazy Frog’s Axel F video. The bass is also extremely significant in this track, softening the punches of the percussion without dulling its essence at all. The track is also very well-mastered.

Even though some of the tracks on the album do sound dated, the production and intent behind all of these tracks definitely make it where all of the songs still stick out and have their own merit to them. Milad Nazeri once again displays his proficiency to make commercially appealing music without sacrificing experimentation and musical variability, with stellar mastering and very interesting musical choices. He’s definitely an artist that keeps you on your toes, and this quality is quite apparent throughout the course of this album. In a way, if this is his last release for a while, it makes me quite sad. We need more people like this to take risks and push the edge of music without sacrificing any level of proficiency. The songs play out vividly, with all of them having ‘mini-movies’ play out while you listen to them. Extremely immersive, as if the songs were meant to be used in tandem with virtual reality.

Score/Excellent: Milad Nazeri returns with a wonderfully immersive and artistically diverse album, called ‘ArtLESS’. You will definitely go through many journeys within this release, as it entirely encapsulates you into each and every subtheme within each song. It’s wonderfully mastered, fresh and filled with more musical goodies as each second goes by. A release that will definitely keep you on your toes and never bore you.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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168澳洲幸运5官网 Yasin Elahee – SOMEWHERE BETWEEN HERE, THERE & EVERYWHERE (Album Review) https://musicreviewworld.com/yasin-elahee-somewhere-between-here-there-everywhere-album-review/ Sun, 08 Dec 2024 22:39:56 +0000 https://musicreviewworld.com/?p=8012 Yasin Elahee, hailing from Calgary, Canada, released his third LP titled SOMEWHERE BETWEEN HERE, THERE, & EVERYWHERE, a concept album. The album is primarily electronic, incorporating various other genres like progressive rock and disco. According to Elahee, the album explores “the duality between success and death; coming to terms with what’s on the other side […]

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Yasin Elahee, hailing from Calgary, Canada, released his third LP titled SOMEWHERE BETWEEN HERE, THERE, & EVERYWHERE, a concept album. The album is primarily electronic, incorporating various other genres like progressive rock and disco. According to Elahee, the album explores “the duality between success and death; coming to terms with what’s on the other side of the unknown.” Let’s get into it!

The album begins with a two-part song “UBIQUITOUS”. “Pt. 1” is quite short, but it introduces us to the sound that will define the album, especially the grooves. I will say that I’m not fond of the percussion’s rhythm, which I feel to be a bit inconsistent and disjointed with everything else that’s going on around it. Nonetheless, I still enjoy it. “Pt. 2”, on the other hand, it’s a bit long, clocking in at nearly seven minutes. The song continues is the definition of groove, including different types of percussions that brings everything together. The synths are also really well done, along with the different vocal effects. With its several sections, including breakdowns and intense moments, it may be a bit confusing to grasp all the elements. However, Elahee does a wonderful complimenting all the sounds and wrapping it up to give a song that’s very eclectic yet uniform.

“PANIC of the PARANOID”, might be my favorite on this record. It’s a decent length, clocking at three-and-a-half minutes, but there’s quite a bit that goes on. Overall, the song keeps it simple, having a standard drum beat and a bass line. Elahee’s delivery, almost robotic in how he speaks, works with the overall theme of the album. I also love the synth work on this song and that great riff that makes up the melody of the chorus. This song is just too damn catchy, I’ve been having it on repeat and will continue to do so.

“SENTIMENTS of FINALITY” has Elahee double-down on his robotic performance with the addition of more overt vocal effects. Usually, I cringe at most artists who do this, but not this time. Elahee’s use of these effects is not overbearing nor are they annoying. Like the other songs, this song has a great bass groove to it that will make anyone want to move.

I also love the different forms of percussion that are used, being discreet, yet adding great flavor to the song. I also love those moments where the piano is dissonant, adding to the theme of the mind separating from the body. The final act of the song builds up on that last theme, being devoid of sound except for a quiet synth lead and an arpeggio at the very end.

“WORMHOLE” is the final and longest track on the album, clocking in at exactly eight minutes. I love almost every aspect of this song, especially the beginning with that piano intro and the woodwind sounds that complement it. I also love the middle portion with the synths, especially with those DEEP bass notes and piano chords that were just soothing to my ears. I also like the orchestral sound that was used in this section and the end, which help tie all those sounds together.

However, as much as I love these elements, I think Elahee was a bit messy with putting these sections together. There’s quite a bit of build-up on “WORMHOLE” that didn’t lead to the climax I expected. Mind you, this song is eight minutes long (not a problem for me, of course), with at least half of it dedicated to build-ups. I just think that it’s underwhelming when you get to the end, and that there could’ve been so much more. I also don’t feel like the percussion was all that good, especially compared to the tracks that came before it.

Here are my ratings for each song on a scale of 0-4:

  1. UBIQUITOUS Pt. 1 – 3
  2. UBIQUITOUS Pt. 2 – 4
  3. PANIC of the PARANOID – 4
  4. SENTIMENTS of FINALITY – 4
  5. WORMHOLE – 3

SCORE/Excellent: I really did want to give this record the top grade, and I was this close to doing it. That being said, I weigh intros and outros more than the rest, so that’s what led me to my final decision. One must only take a look at my reviews and see that I usually do not give out good grades, and I have yet to give out an “Outstanding”. Mr. Elahee, made an album that was inches away from it, so I commend him for making this near-masterpiece. At the end of the day, this is a fantastic album that was crafted in a way a genius would, along with its concept of what seems like futuristic existentialism. The only advice I can offer to Mr. Elahee is to keep working on his craft. I really hope to hear another one of your projects. My hats off to you.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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168澳洲幸运5官网 Brendan Blake – Zipline Series No.4 (Album Review) https://musicreviewworld.com/brendan-blake-zipline-series-no-4-album-review/ Thu, 03 Oct 2024 09:29:07 +0000 https://musicreviewworld.com/?p=7505 Hey, get your keys. We are going. Where to? I don’t know yet. These were the first thoughts that crossed my mind as soon as I heard the new Brendan Blake’s Zipline Series No.4 The Irish Musician Brendan Blake, who currently lives in Western Australia, has finally debuted with his first project that is clearly […]

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Hey, get your keys. We are going.

Where to?

I don’t know yet.

These were the first thoughts that crossed my mind as soon as I heard the new Brendan Blake’s Zipline Series No.4

The Irish Musician Brendan Blake, who currently lives in Western Australia, has finally debuted with his first project that is clearly inspired by dance hall, EDM & house music. Brendan’s ability to create a new and exciting adventure has swiftly immersed me in his venture, but was it able to hold me all the way through?

Let’s take a look at what it is;

From the beginning, when we start listening to the record, we are immediately into the story of Blake’s adventure.

The first time I turned up the record, I was biking around my city and seeking some sort of inspiration, and truthfully, this is what this album is for. It is a long ride where you start from the more or less common ground just to be elevated into the eerie sound a few minutes later.

What I instantly noticed about the Zipline Series No.4 is how seamlessly it transitions from one idea to another, creating a fascinating and unique narrative for me. The album only features the music accompaniment without any lyrics, leaving the rest up to your imagination in the way you would want to imagine the environment of the soundscape.

It is not your standard record that could be divided into something more simplistic, rather; it is the experience of being around it. Whether it is the cinematic synths that will immerse you in the futuristic world or the electrifying dance loop giving you the feel of adrenaline hinting at the exuberant nightlife, both work pretty well.

For example, the particular narrative that I created in my head during the record is that we all have the same start, but we all have different endings. As even the artist himself shares:

Back in 2000, I left San Francisco after having a great two years of fun and dance, going to music clubs and gigs around the city. Then Came the first introduction to DAW’S. Now, I had a sound built in my head that could be brought to life. It has taken 10 years since then to create a series of an album.

There might have been plenty of people that were at the club that day, but this journey of the artist has led us to this exact moment, which, for me, personally captures the whole idea of the record.

During the album, you will be introduced to plenty of the ideas, and with some being exceptionally executed, such as at the initiation of the record, some closer to the middle might signal a lack of proper implementation. The sudden abruption of some pieces demonstrates a certain lack of structure within the record and seldom resembles the raw pieces that were blended together.

I truly liked what Brendan did in the first part when the dynamic EDM took over the melodic and more classy jazz house sound, which is set to be further developed into a bizarre and spacey sound bolstered by illuminating synths.

Despite the great presentation of Blake’s ideas, sometimes it may become too monotonous. Blake frequently uses one melody as the base of the sound to build up on it, but occasionally, it feels like the build-up was either too early or too late.

Blake’s motives are primarily showcased within the span of 20 minutes, highlighting his exceptional use of synths and blending of house and EDM genres with a subtle touch of psychedelia. However, after the 20-minute mark, it starts to get slightly repetitive and blurry in terms of where the author wants to go.

The clear lack of structure from track to track is quite evident, and despite the outstanding implementation on the first third of the record, Brendan starts repeating himself unintentionally.

I found Blake’s ventures to use the jazz influence in house music to be the most ambitious, as they add another layer to an already multidimensional sound. However, the problem is that these start to feel too prolonged.

Whereas at first, the mysterious and futuristic atmosphere added certain ambiguity to it, after a while, the path of the record began to become much more predictable.

I must say, I enjoy the overall soundscape of the album, and the feelings that it has evoked within me, but I am quite doubtful about the record’s re-playability and length.

Zipline series No.4 doesn’t feel like one certain unit. It is a mix of ideas that all got together into the same environment, with each one trying to prove that it is better than the other one.

Whether it is a more laid-back atmosphere or more striking, it is simply a matter of time before one is replaced by another. With a quiet stretched-out run time, the record cannot let multiple ideas shine as brightly as one.

Score/Good: Overall, I relived an interesting experience with a record. It wasn’t a mind-blowing reinvention of my view of electronic music, but it certainly evoked some positive emotions in me. I personally think that the record would have been better if it were shortened by half of its runtime. This way, it could have included most of the captivating soundscapes while avoiding excessive repetition, making it more enjoyable to replay. So, if you are looking for a record to accompany a long drive or a late-night brainstorming session, Zipline Series No.4 could be a perfect choice for that.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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168澳洲幸运5官网 Phlux Ascent – Even Dreams Themselves Must Wake (Album Review) https://musicreviewworld.com/phlux-ascent-even-dreams-themselves-must-wake-album-review/ Tue, 01 Oct 2024 14:56:46 +0000 https://musicreviewworld.com/?p=7487 There’s a lot of music out there in the world. An almost infinite number of songs, I would presume. However, in that illusion of infinity, you will chance upon many compositions that mirror each other. Genres that don’t necessarily expand the horizons of your mind. In today’s review, that monotony rhythm will surely be disrupted […]

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There’s a lot of music out there in the world. An almost infinite number of songs, I would presume. However, in that illusion of infinity, you will chance upon many compositions that mirror each other. Genres that don’t necessarily expand the horizons of your mind. In today’s review, that monotony rhythm will surely be disrupted by an artist called ‘Phlux Ascent’.

Phlux Ascent is the electronic music project of the pianist Ryan Pryor, hailing from Southern California. He has come up with his newest release, titled ‘Even Dreams Themselves Must Wake’. It is an electronic album which narratively explores themes of dreaming vs wakefulness, as well as the classic Zhuangzi ‘butterfly dream’, in which Zhuangzi, an influential Chinese philosopher during the Warring States period, is quoted by saying:

“Once upon a time, I dreamt I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly. I was conscious only of my happiness as a butterfly, unaware that I was myself. Soon I awaked, and there I was, veritably myself again. Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly, dreaming I am a man.”

The album also boasts a wonderful smorgasbord of influences, being an electronic album that also draws from a variety of genres, traditions and styles. It has tinges of jazz, contemporary classical, microtonal soundscapes, and math-core. The album is also stylistically divided into two halves, ‘Hypnagogia’ as well as ‘Butterflies’, with each song within it flowing from one to the next without break.

I’d have to say, this is one of the best albums I’ve heard in a while from an abstract and sound design-esque perspective. A lot of the tracks on the album bear a very abstract compositional structure, aided by a lot of variable sound design and synthesis, elevated through the use of mixing, panning as well as mastering. This album is not necessarily an album to me, it is a cinematic experience.

It is quite evident that Phlux Ascent has a niche that goes beyond the traditional structure of music itself- and as someone who tends to gravitate towards this route, I think this release is something that everyone can learn from. The sounds that most people would regard as ‘fx’ on a usual synthesizer VST can be turned into a compelling quilt of sound as well as intent, in order to convey ideas.

I hear multiple nodes of sound going through the ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ phase, evident in songs such as ‘Mencolek’. I even wonder if this song was named after one of my native languages, Bahasa Indonesia. I can also hear tinges of improvisational jazz littered throughout the scope of this album, making it where it is absolutely chock full of musical variability- there is not one moment where you will be enticed with the ‘endless loop’ of predictability. Instead, the composer guides you by your metaphorical hand to see the exact strings of code and sound he permits you to perceive.

The songs in the release also have a warm, full and captivating quality to them, despite sounding almost entirely technical. There is competency, but there is also an earnestness to the sounds chosen and the notes picked. It can startle you in some instances, but also make you long for something you didn’t intend to at the same time. If you’re talking about the diversity of emotional motility when it comes to perceiving music, this album has all the emotion you require- no, I’m not just talking about the predictable triad of sad, happy and angry- it drills into it edge, angst, longing, drama, anticipation, and serenity all in one.

It is clear that there is a lot of thought put into the compositional aspect of all of these songs. Take ‘The Two Are Mixed’, for example, when the Fibonacci sequence of 1,1,2,3,5,8,13 unravels within the rhythmic conception of the song. Other songs also boast unique time signatures as well as syncopation.

In a way, this album is also utterly overwhelming in the best way. It’s like staring into a painting with a ton of microdetails, and you may miss some aspects- such as a trill or two, but it’ll come back to you the more you listen to it, with you even interpreting it a different way. It’s a mind exercise in a sonic configuration, filled with wonderfully complex syncopation and eccentric sounds that warp the notions of standard music. Dare I say, this is the next logical conclusion in the world of experimental music, after the likes of John Cage and Iannis Xenakis.

Simply stunning. I cannot recommend this album enough to anyone who appreciates music as an artistic and scientific form. It even inspires me to be a better composer, I am simply in awe of this album.

Score/Outstanding: Phlux Ascent simply stuns audiences with ‘Even Dreams Themselves Must Wake’. It is a contemplative, complex and abstract album that tests the boundaries of composition and sound design, with an array of different sounds to convey multiple motifs at the same time. It has one of the highest levels of musical variability I’ve ever witnessed in a modern piece of work.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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168澳洲幸运5官网 Elevated Focusion – Dark Nights (Album Review) https://musicreviewworld.com/elevated-focusion-dark-nights-album-review/ Tue, 24 Sep 2024 13:26:56 +0000 https://musicreviewworld.com/?p=7379 Think of a soundscape that merges all the sounds of neo-synthwave mixed with a dash of darkwave. Sometimes it can get a little peppy, and sometimes it can get more intimate and emotional. It leads to an artistry that seems completely unbounded by genre-based convention and all kinds of tradition. You merge all of these […]

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Think of a soundscape that merges all the sounds of neo-synthwave mixed with a dash of darkwave. Sometimes it can get a little peppy, and sometimes it can get more intimate and emotional. It leads to an artistry that seems completely unbounded by genre-based convention and all kinds of tradition. You merge all of these factors and you get Elevated Focusion.

Elevated Focusion is an artist who hails from Queens, New York, having released his old music under the moniker Jonny Rythmns. He primarily made music on his synthesizer keyboard from 2001 to 2004. In 2022, he then released his catalogue of music under the same moniker, and decided to embark on a new musical journey in 2023 with his new name.

Elevated Focusion then released his debut self-titled album venturing into a new direction by infusing vocals into his music via collabs with a large and diverse repertoire of artists. It marked its significance by being a collection of the first music the artist had made in almost 20 years, serving as an autobiographical soundtrack to his life’s experience in the Big Apple. It was previously covered on this platform; you can read about it here.

This time, Elevated Focusion graces our ears with his new release titled ‘Dark Nights’. It boasts an electronic pop fusion sound, incorporating rock, hip-hop, reggae, EDM, pop, funk, jazz, as well as world music. Majority of the songs on the album do have vocals added onto it, being a departure from the primarily instrumental nature of his debut release. It also aims to be a pioneer in the world of alternative electronic music, making genre fusions where one might think it is impossible. Let us check out the album.

Throughout the album, the thematic intent for a dark atmosphere supported by the use of haunting vocals as well as production is quite apparent and it is very excellently executed. Even though I didn’t think that the album necessarily broke borders, as the interweaving within this album has been done before in other instances, the niches it borrows from are so obscure I think they could pass as something ultimately novel in a resurgence. Take tracks like ‘Night Time Lover’ and ‘Club Hell’ for example, where the instrumental is palpable enough for you to feel a sensation that stands the test of time, but certain trills have been done before. However, I must commend the former track, as the vocals and the trills within the synths remind me of a lot of German electronic music from the past. Think in the domain of artists like Wolfsheim, with an edge.

The edge of exploration and boundary-pushing gets further pushed with tracks like ‘Sinking into Oblivion’, where the strings and the type of vocal harmonies almost lean towards folk as well as world music. I can definitely hear the influence of other scales, as well as slight atonality- giving the song a feel that is quite hard to recreate. I think tracks like this can definitely be developed upon to build a unique niche for the artist. My only critique is the cadence, as that is quite ‘typical’ for fusion tracks. Otherwise, from a compositional and mastering element, this song is utterly spectacular.

I find certain songs to be the downfall of the album, such as tracks like ‘Hot Gothic’. It has all the perfect marks of good production, don’t get me wrong, but the sound selection with the choice of instruments used for the percussion used for the song really ruins it. I think the song could work in a dark, ethereal manner without the drums, almost like a darkwave song from Bauhaus. Same goes to songs like ‘Zombiefied’, which just emerges as if it were a pop song from the 2010s with a very small experimental front. It strangely sounds generic, in its quest to be original. Kudos to the drum pattern though, as I can hear a decent effort put into the syncopation to make the song more musically variable.

There is a slight rock edge to this album, displayed in songs such as ‘Broken Riddles’, which I would honestly say is a very mismatched song. The vocals sound like as if it should be placed in an early 2000s R&B song, with the bass belonging to a funk song, and the melodies of the electric guitar belonging to a rock song. I understand the vision for a type of fusion with all of these genres, but something about this song makes me feel like this is purely executed and could’ve been done more harmoniously. Unfortunately, the track literally sounds like a mash-up of two different songs from the early 2000s. It’s like as if somebody layered Aaliyah’s vocals with a track from Megadeth. It could be done, but with further refining. It is also apparent in ‘Junked Out’, which I think works MUCH better- the slight Gorillaz groove works with the intensity of the lead guitar itself, as well as the darkness of the synths and the slight flare of the drums matching the grooves of metal at some point. The backdrop of the track shines with the soundscape of the synth for the most part, and the slight airiness of some of the instruments. The ‘wacky’ melodic motif of the track oddly fits, as darkness and oddity seem to come hand-in-hand. This improves with songs like ‘Disco Devil’, acting as the merger of Kraftwerk-era German pop with rock itself.

Lastly, the album has a tinge of rap flair- through tracks like ‘Life Frames’, ‘Drip Drop’ and ‘Dark Nights’. I feel like these songs are not necessarily the apex of the album either, as the styles of rapping within these tracks aren’t quite innovative. The backing tracks are a little hybridised and definitely attempt to pull off a multifaceted song structure, but voices are essentially no different than adding an extra instrument to your track- and they don’t necessarily stick out. Otherwise, the tracks are quite decent, at times even merging instances of a complex rhythm into it.

All in all, I appreciate the level of effort it took to make this album as even though some tracks aren’t quite the greatest to my subjective ear, I can definitely say all of the tracks were mastered quite perfectly. In terms of mastering, the artist definitely put his ‘own personal touch’ to it, as I can hear certain nuanced quirks that he uses within his production- especially with the EQing and effects added to each song that does have a singing vocal track. The tracks that do maintain an air of coherence and general likelihood do shine, as they can serve as decent tracks. Otherwise, a wonderful introduction to alternative, electronic music. This also shows Elevated Focusion’s potential to be a barrier-breaking artist, regardless of personal or subjective taste.

Score/Excellent: ‘Dark Nights’ is an interesting introduction to the world of alternative electronic music. It has tantalising dark themes through the motif of the synths and is overall a great experience- even if certain tracks feel generic- simply due to the wonderful mastering of the album. It is also a great album to ‘start somewhere’ if you’re in the mood to entertain the dark side.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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168澳洲幸运5官网 Uncle Waffles & Royal MusiQ – Wadibusa ft. DHP Sage, PCee, and DJY Biza (Single Review) https://musicreviewworld.com/uncle-waffles-royal-musiq-wadibusa-ft-dhp-sage-pcee-and-djy-biza-single-review/ Fri, 26 Apr 2024 10:09:27 +0000 https://musicreviewworld.com/?p=6408 The meteoric rise of Uncle Waffles and her contributions to Amapiano and all related EDM subgenres it simply go hand in hand. Originating from Eswatini, Lungelihle Zwane aka Uncle Waffles broke into the scene after learning to DJ during the Covid-19 pandemic. Even though she merely started practicing nearly four years ago, her dedication, perseverance […]

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The meteoric rise of Uncle Waffles and her contributions to Amapiano and all related EDM subgenres it simply go hand in hand. Originating from Eswatini, Lungelihle Zwane aka Uncle Waffles broke into the scene after learning to DJ during the Covid-19 pandemic. Even though she merely started practicing nearly four years ago, her dedication, perseverance as well as a natural inclination to music helped to bolster a stellar start.

Some of her musical influences include the legendary Black Coffee, a pioneer of South African deep house music, Lebo Mathosa as well as DJ Kent. Her debut single ‘Tanzania’ was received with none other than praise, eventually receiving a certification of 7x Platinum by the Recording Industry of South Africa in 2022. In fact, that song changed the trajectory of my own musical journey.

I had been hip to Amapiano for a while by that time, but this particular song deviated from all the other Amapiano songs. It had a depth, a pseudo-nostalgia, an existentialism, and a fiery intensity all at once that I’ve never seen any other artist try to replicate before. No surprise though, as it has been stated that she took three months to fully perfect that masterpiece.

All of her subsequent releases have been marked with the same niche that makes her completely stand out from any other Amapiano act. Her tracks are rarely generic, they are all infused with a particular depth and character that I don’t think any other artist has. She isn’t the most experimental, ala sgija or Mozpiano artists, but she makes up for it with a militaristic approach to percussion and a sense for harmonies and bass akin to deep house or even trance songs at times.

Lastly, the artists she chooses to provide vocals for her tracks tend to have an interesting and resounding timbre to their voice, complementing the general soundscape of her work. In Amapiano, I find that a lot of artists ruin their production with a vocalist that has an extremely irritating or a non-befitting-of-the-track voice. Her gift for composition and production truly shines as she avoids this problem entirely.

After releasing two albums that symbiotically displayed ferocity and technicality, she then released an album titled ‘Solace’ towards the end of 2023. I found this album very interesting as it seemed like it was stylistically meant to parallel and contrast her previous two releases and themes, showing a different side to her artistry. Uncle Waffles by this time was known for being the hardest and most intense DJ in the world of Amapiano.

This release showed a sound that was more ‘soulful’ in its choice of harmonics, and a little bit more mellow. More artistic direction was taken in using techniques of dispersion as well as distance between vocal chops as well as sounds to lengthen the typical ‘build-up’ of a track. The album felt like an ode to the peace of deep house, itself. It was extremely serene, but still technically proficient.

It felt like the right thing to do or expand upon after establishing a particular type of rapport with her previous releases. My personal favourites from the album are ‘Peacock Revisit’, ‘Solace’ as well as ‘Waffles Anthem’. However, after this release, I was met with anticipation as I wondered what next step Uncle Waffles would make in her artistry. She continued touring and posting updates on social media, as well as started carving a niche for herself as a fashionista. She is an ‘all-in-one’ package artist with many crossovers. For the sake of this website, I will not do a fashion analysis on her distinct sense of style, but like everything else she does, it is extremely distinct and once you get the hang of it, you will definitely be able to ascribe it to her- just like her music.

Months pass, and we enter the year 2024. There was no sign of ‘new’ Uncle Waffles music per se. This all changed sometime towards the end of March and entering April when she started teasing her new look and the theme for her new single itself. That single, of course, is ‘Wadibusa‘. It marks her first single after her last album release. Anticipating this song, just like many others, I was extremely excited to listen to this song.

The song immediately starts off with an interesting buildup. It bears a distinctly succinct beat, with the classic introductory Amapiano snare. The soundscape gets built upon with the addition of various vocalisations, all singing different percolations as well as melodies, leading to a sort of harmonic polyphony. The sounds do not end up clashing with each other, as they are carefully panned and some of the underlying vocals have the volume set lower, making them more mellow and airy. In turn, it gives the dominant vocal piece at a given snapshot of the song a bit of an operatic feel. The bass then sets the undertone of the song, creeping up with every new wave of the vocalisation. There is an underlying chord in the background of all of these elements, leading to an existential sense.

It then evolves further, with a bit of experimentation and funk with the use of external synthesized clips. I hear Uncle Waffles employing newer techniques hip to Amapiano, such as a longer delay with the log drum and even a ‘bubbling’ syncopation in the midst of the log drum. The only person I’ve heard used this technique is DJ Tarico, so it is interesting to see this aspect of log drum experimentation expanded upon and added to a typical Amapiano soundscape. The song gets elevated even further in terms of musical variability and whimsicalness through the use of slightly off-chord vocal clips that are also layered with high and low undertones, almost akin to the vocal techniques used in Naira Marley’s previous productions but with more technical flair to it. I think a more apt comparison that could be made is to the vocal chops in Art of Noise’s Close (To The Edit).

The general sound of this song is quite interesting to me. It morphs Uncle Waffles’ typical professional fire with a sound that to me, sounds more militaristic. Perhaps that influenced the choice of dress she chose on her single cover. I can totally envision a militaristic dance routine or sequence to this exact song.

The song closes off with a slew of vocals that guide the song melodically toward its end, with the percussion hits gradually reaching a crescendo peak before fading out.

This song was genuinely quite interesting to perceive. I found that Uncle Waffles finally added more experimental techniques to her song. However, in her quest to accommodate this aspect of instrumentation, the other aspects of her usual instrumentation ineffectively mellowed out. While some who prefer the predictability of music might find this to be a turn off, I think this is actually interesting as it forces us to look out for the aspects of this particular instrumentation that she wants you to pay attention to, which I infer in this case is the intersection between a tight, calculated beat and a slightly whimsical and experimental approach.

The production quality of this song is expectedly stellar, as one can expect from Uncle Waffles. A very astute use of EQ and panning can be displayed throughout the song, with regards to which motif dominates the song at a given point of time.

If this song is the gateway to her future releases, it will definitely spark your curiosity in trying to imagine what she’ll make next. That is her true skill, not as an artist or a musician, but as a storyteller through music- to keep you begging for more.

Score/Excellent: Uncle Waffles returns to the rat race of music with a stellar approach to combining aspects of Sgija with Amapiano. It is subtle yet powerful at the same time. ‘Wadibusa’ is a great song that will definitely keep you wanting more, as if it were a chapter in the book of Amapiano.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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168澳洲幸运5官网 LCD Soundsystem – american dream (Album Review) https://musicreviewworld.com/lcd-soundsystem-american-dream-album-review/ Mon, 15 Apr 2024 18:46:07 +0000 https://musicreviewworld.com/?p=6307 In their latest release, the Brooklyn originating band (Headed by frontman James Murphy) offers their typical wonky and post-punk revival/dance-punk style to a myriad of topical thematics relevant to the time of release (2017) from commentary on Trump to remembrance of the late and great David Bowie. In their medley of energetic, upbeat, and dance-centric […]

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In their latest release, the Brooklyn originating band (Headed by frontman James Murphy) offers their typical wonky and post-punk revival/dance-punk style to a myriad of topical thematics relevant to the time of release (2017) from commentary on Trump to remembrance of the late and great David Bowie. In their medley of energetic, upbeat, and dance-centric tracks comes their typical cynicism and satire of various topics, juxtaposing to the often light and carefree feel of the tracks.

Nominated for a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album and nominated/winning for Best Dance Recording for their track ‘Tonite’ in 2018, their album american dream is a testament to show they still have creativity to share to the musical world.

Starting off their album by paying tribute to ‘Dream Baby Dream’ by Suicide, LCD Soundsystem offers their typical sound and delivery with a slow and brill-building track that finds James Murphy singing about his ‘baby’ moving on while he still works toward a life with her. While not as flavorful or personality dripping of an intro as other projects of theirs (‘Daft Punk Is Playing at My House’ from LCD Soundsystem, ‘Get Innocuous!’ from Sound of Silver, and ‘Dance Yrself Clean’ from This Is Happening), the album only gears up with their groovy, wonky, and funky ode to anxiety and the inability of people accepting different viewpoints with ‘other voices’.

From then on, LCD Soundsystem establishes their talent and ability as they begin to highlight personal anecdotes such as ‘change yr mind’ which addresses the band’s brief hiatus, ‘how do you sleep?’ which addresses James Murphy’s feud with DFA co-founder Tim Goldsworthy, and ‘black screen’ which reconciles the feelings James’ experienced in the death of his friend, David Bowie.

In-between personal anecdotes, James Murphy’s typical tongue-in-cheek lyricism can be found in the scathing yet humorous condemnation of formulaic pop with ‘Tonite’, the ignorance of people across society with ‘call the police’, the need to showcase change in crisis with ’emotional haircut’, and commentary on expectations with ‘american dream’.

With James Murphy’s typical singsong/spoken word cadence intermingled with some impressive vocal moments, James has continued to strike the perfect balance between showcasing vocal ability with ironic/playful delivery. No stranger to lengthy tracks, american dream finds LCD Soundsystem embellishing their jam sessions with tracks such as ‘black screen’ clocking in around 12 minutes, ‘how do you sleep?’ at 9 minutes, and their instrumental exclusive outro ‘pulse (v.1) at around 13 minutes long.

Love it or hate it, the disregard for making radio edit tracks is part of the allure of the band yet also a disadvantage as the runtime of the tracks themselves and the album as a whole (1hr and 22min across 11 songs) can be dissuading for the masses. While LCD Soundsystem might not be accessible to the general masses, especially with american dream, they have yet again created a cohesive project both in sound and topics that offers smart and relevant lyricism and engagement.

Rating/Excellent – american dream is a successfully energetic, entertaining, and relevant album that’s commentary on politics, the band themselves, and societal norms will leave listeners with a new perspective amongst the abstract and pointblank lyricism of the project. Full of surface level enjoyment and layered depth, there is a bit of everything for everyone within this project with ‘Tonite’ offering the most accessible and carefree feeling track while ‘black screen’ serves more as therapeutic songwriting for James Murphy. With their typical fun and quirky vocal delivery, cacophony of sounds, and juxtaposition of lyricism with tone, LCD Soundsystem has proven yet again their ability to meld together carefree fun with careful commentary.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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168澳洲幸运5官网 ODETARI x AYYBO – HYPNOTIC DATA 2.0 (Single Review) https://musicreviewworld.com/odetari-x-ayybo-hypnotic-data-2-0-single-review/ Sat, 02 Mar 2024 22:05:52 +0000 https://musicreviewworld.com/?p=6005 The voice of Gen Z, Odetari, is back with a remix to his renowned single, ‘Hypnotic Data’. As the title implies, this is ‘Hypnotic Data 2.0’, back to hypnotize you with essential and ethereal elements of electronic dance music to elevate the original song and turn it into a piece of art that is simply […]

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The voice of Gen Z, Odetari, is back with a remix to his renowned single, ‘Hypnotic Data’. As the title implies, this is ‘Hypnotic Data 2.0’, back to hypnotize you with essential and ethereal elements of electronic dance music to elevate the original song and turn it into a piece of art that is simply not to be missed.

In case you aren’t a wild zoomer caught in the wild with music tastes semi-influenced by the breakneck spread of information and emerging trends on social media, Odetari is a multifaceted musician. He is a rapper, producer as well as a songwriter. He has been quoted to have started producing music at the age of 13, but it wasn’t till 10 years later, in 2023 did his music start to pick up on social media. One of the songs that started heavily circulating in 2023 was ‘Good Loyal Thots’. The crunchy, lo-fi beats as well as the fast paced jersey-club influenced beat instantly resonated with the zeitgeist of this generation (including me) and solidified Odetari as one of the significant musical influences of this period. Even though his lyrics aren’t the star of his compositions, how he modifies his voice to fit his instrumentals enhances the instrumentality of the song. Owing to his prowess as a producer, he has also released many instrumental versions of his major songs under the umbrella term of ‘Odecore‘- what he brandishes his genre to be. To me, Odecore is a combination of today and a bit of the technological influence of music from the 2010s as well. The tempo, the crunchiness, the style of beats and infusion of jersey club and sigilkore really represents how fleeting and apocalyptic today feels, but the emphasis on influence from electronic dance music also reminds me of how it really has been a whole decade since people have added electronic music (be it EDM, trance, or even deep house) to general popularised music. We are in a deeply technological age, especially with the rise of hyper-AI (think of Sora) so this genre really fits it to a degree.

My picks from Odetari are the instrumental for GMFU and the instrumental for NARCISSISTIC PERSONALITY DISORDER.

In today’s review, however, we will be exploring the universe of the song ‘HYPNOTIC DATA’ and its remix. The original song comes in pretty devious and dark in its tone, while remaining fairly cheeky with the lyrics. The stuttering and the gate effect added to his voice instantly takes me back to the electro-club style of the late 2000s to the early 2010s. I can also hear a slight phonk influence in the song, and the signature crunchy lo-fi beat that characterises the music of today. The song also bears influence from chopped and screwed music, slowing down towards the end. What I find quite fascinating about today is the way people have really strong preferences for a hyperspeed or a slowed down variant. Essentially, nightcore vs chopped ‘n’ screwed. I think this reflects how we access and interpret data these days- it is extremely easy to slow or speed up a YouTube video if you want to capture certain details or simply cruise through it. We either skim through webpages or seize up on a certain topic or statement that catches our brain. Similarly, I think this behavioral pattern also reflects in the style of music that we prefer today.

The remix, however, takes the original song beyond the constraints of the period it characterises and immortalises it, in a strange-but-expected way. AYYBO, the collaborator in the track, is another multifaceted musician who does not let genre define his body of work. He has dabbled in all sorts of musical styles as well as genres, from drumming to house music. His current persona, AYYBO, is a moniker for primarily electronic dance music and house. As a result, the remix to HYPNOTIC DATA with his input turns it into a captivating and entrancing house track.

The song basically isolates and expands upon the devious motif of the original track, and amends the tempo so that it fits house. It isolates certain lo-fi sound clips from the original songs, as well as isolates vocal clips from Odetari himself, to add some spark and pizzazz to the overall soundscape. It definitely makes good use of the love filter as well as other filters to play with the synthesizers, giving it an in-and-out feel with the sound. The strong bass in the song mixed with the additional synthesizers gives the song a boldness that is quite incomparable to the original track. Even though it is quite minimalistic in its approach, without adding too much or straying away too much from the original track, there is something about it that elevates the listening experience of the original track. I think it is also because of the typical ‘build-up’ of electronic tracks that usually makes the listener anticipate a musical ‘drop’, which usually indicates that the lower ends, bass, and percussive elements of the track will get deeper and darker.

Overall, the remix does give the original song more state-space to expand upon when it comes to its darker undertones. It definitely sounds different as it eliminates the jersey club cadence, but it does give the song more of a gutsy feel. I can’t say I prefer this to the original or that the original is superior to this, they seem to both stand on its own merit. If you’re looking for more musical variability and excitation, the original will fit you. If you’d like a more edgy take on the song and something you can blast outright, the remix is perhaps for you. For me however, I think both variants of the song suit my musical palate.

Score/Good: ‘HYPNOTIC DATA 2.0’ does a great job at re-imagining the original track in a completely traditional house setting, while expanding upon the song’s dark undertones, giving it a great edge. However, it does lack a distinct form of musical variability. It certainly is ‘hypnotizing’, with its cadence, but more ‘data’ in the form of more instrumentation would’ve made it excellent.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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