Night Spice
Night Spice - Welcome to Miami, IL
The debut album release from Night Spice has driven it’s neon laden night cruiser into a new sonic town, bringing along passengers of synth infused rock, pop and metal. The culmination of live performance energy with the addition of Kevin’s vocals in this project, has produced a sound that is familiar to fans of synthwave, yet clearly a new defining moment in Night Spice’s journey. Let's get into the break down.
Listening through the first tracks ‘DAMN, THAT HOT SYNTH’ and ‘CASTLES’ really set the mood for the rest of the release with the new drum sound and Kevin’s vocals immediately having an impact on the energy levels. Whilst it's not obvious at this point that the lyrics are part of a larger overarching story, it’s easy listening and some catchy melodies are being used very well. Then we get to the big single sound in ‘PLUMS’. The track as a whole, can clearly be viewed as a progressive wave that rolls up and up to it’s peak, crashes, then washes it’s synth soaked remnants ashore. The tail on this track is the first definite nod to their pre album release sound.
Following this is what appears to be the title track for the album in ‘MIAMI, IL’, which from a construction point of view, probably fits the bill as the most obvious choice for a single release. It’s upbeat melody and lyrics create a child like feeling of hope, and is also placed well in the track listing as it’s a contrast to it’s predecessor and it’s successor.
The next two tracks ‘SOMEWHERE JUST BEYOND’ and ‘THE CRACKS BENEATH THE SURFACE’ really start to prick the ears lyrically, more strongly hinting at perhaps something a little larger than some catchy singles all collected in one place. The latter track contains some ethereal vocal backings that send the listener into a galaxy bright with stars, with some metal inspired sounds cranking up the spaceship's warp drive.
If the last two tracks didn’t convince the listener that something larger was afoot, ‘ZODIAC’ screams it at you with it’s dark lyrics and synth pad arsenal. The synth lead solo contained in this one is also a highlight, hailing to Night Spice’s before time.
The track ‘DISASTER’ comes at a point in the album that feels like we’ve reached the darkest moment in this story. It executes this point with brutal precision, giving a clear sense of needing to come up for air as hope is beginning to fade.
Then we get the dream like, synthwave, instrumental, subconscious escape we’ve needed, ‘THE SPACE BETWEEN’.
It’s a welcome lull after the high energy on display up to this point, so it’s placed beautifully also in the track listing and leads into the next big contender for a single release, ‘SUMMER SHADES’.
Lifting us up out of the pit of despair is this positive, playful tune that uses the same catchy hook from the previous version release, which will stick in your head for the rest of the day, guaranteed.
Tying it all off in a neat bow is the album finale, ‘THE RIPPER’. Moving through arpeggiated synth pad land in it’s verses, right through the spectrum to big industrial synth in it’s bridge and tail, it leaves the listener wanting to love a sequel to this album as much as the original.
All in all, this album stomps it's Converse All Star print into the arena as a high quality debut, that brings elements of synthwave into a higher energy rock platform. It's just as good on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th listen through.
B.
About
The Eddie Cat Review is currently written by Bo Manser and features music reviews on a variety of different genres. Bo has a long music history having grown up in a musical family. He has also enjoyed a professional music career as a composer, performer, teacher and producer. He currently writes and practises surrounded by his young family in the Limestone Coast of South Australia.
Contact
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ALBUM REVIEWS
Nightspice - Welcome to Miami, IL
The debut album release from Night Spice has driven it’s neon laden night cruiser into a new sonic town, bringing along passengers of synth infused rock, pop and metal. The culmination of live performance energy with the addition of Kevin’s vocals in this project, has produced a sound that is familiar to fans of synthwave, yet clearly a new defining moment in Night Spice’s journey. Let's get into the break down.
Listening through the first tracks ‘DAMN, THAT HOT SYNTH’ and ‘CASTLES’ really set the mood for the rest of the release with the new drum sound and Kevin’s vocals immediately having an impact on the energy levels. Whilst it's not obvious at this point that the lyrics are part of a larger overarching story, it’s easy listening and some catchy melodies are being used very well. Then we get to the big single sound in ‘PLUMS’. The track as a whole, can clearly be viewed as a progressive wave that rolls up and up to it’s peak, crashes, then washes it’s synth soaked remnants ashore. The tail on this track is the first definite nod to their pre album release sound.
Following this is what appears to be the title track for the album in ‘MIAMI, IL’, which from a construction point of view, probably fits the bill as the most obvious choice for a single release. It’s upbeat melody and lyrics create a child like feeling of hope, and is also placed well in the track listing as it’s a contrast to it’s predecessor and it’s successor.
The next two tracks ‘SOMEWHERE JUST BEYOND’ and ‘THE CRACKS BENEATH THE SURFACE’ really start to prick the ears lyrically, more strongly hinting at perhaps something a little larger than some catchy singles all collected in one place. The latter track contains some ethereal vocal backings that send the listener into a galaxy bright with stars, with some metal inspired sounds cranking up the spaceship's warp drive.
If the last two tracks didn’t convince the listener that something larger was afoot, ‘ZODIAC’ screams it at you with it’s dark lyrics and synth pad arsenal. The synth lead solo contained in this one is also a highlight, hailing to Night Spice’s before time.
The track ‘DISASTER’ comes at a point in the album that feels like we’ve reached the darkest moment in this story. It executes this point with brutal precision, giving a clear sense of needing to come up for air as hope is beginning to fade.
Then we get the dream like, synthwave, instrumental, subconscious escape we’ve needed, ‘THE SPACE BETWEEN’.
It’s a welcome lull after the high energy on display up to this point, so it’s placed beautifully also in the track listing and leads into the next big contender for a single release, ‘SUMMER SHADES’.
Lifting us up out of the pit of despair is this positive, playful tune that uses the same catchy hook from the previous version release, which will stick in your head for the rest of the day, guaranteed.
Tying it all off in a neat bow is the album finale, ‘THE RIPPER’. Moving through arpeggiated synth pad land in it’s verses, right through the spectrum to big industrial synth in it’s bridge and tail, it leaves the listener wanting to love a sequel to this album as much as the original.
All in all, this album stomps it's Converse All Star print into the arena as a high quality debut, that brings elements of synthwave into a higher energy rock platform. It's just as good on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th listen through.
B.
ARTIST REVIEWS
STARCADIAN
I’ve considered writing music reviews in the past as a hobby or as a constructive outlet for my day to day analysis whilst listening, however, I didn’t do anything about it. Until Starcadian grabbed me by both ears, shoved me in a spaceship and launched my listening pleasure into the galaxy I’ve always known in my dreams I needed to visit.
This isn’t necessarily going to be a review of a particular album of his, but a standing ovation to an artist that the child and dreamer in all of us so desperately needs.
I have a definite sense of having missed out on discovering Starcadian earlier, yet at the same time a giddy sense of joy at the amount of exquisitely crafted nostalgic material on offer for me to listen to on repeat, all in one delightful buffet. Starcadian has filled a Daft Punk sized hole in my heart and used the force to take me back to the future, to a place where Michael Jackson theatrics have travelled interstellar and reached a galaxy far, far away. I cannot rate this artists creativity and attention to detail high enough, he is genuinely deserving of every award and accolade headed his way.
The unique (and I don’t use that word lightly in today’s musical environment) way he combines 80’s sci fi futurist elements to his funky and often downright dancefloor-bust-a-move worthy sound is first class. Then there are his music videos.
Starcadian is on a journey with his visual elements and we are lucky enough to travel along. Through each of his music videos, we’re getting fragments of the mythos he is building around Starcadian as a character. It is gorgeous viewing. Trying to piece together the larger story that is slowly unfolding with every release, is a cinematic delight. This element is also not lost in Starcadian’s albums, often featuring orchestral moments that take me straight back into John Williams E.T. or Alan Silvestri’s Back To The Future.
It has been a long time since an artist has genuinely sucked me in and forced me to reconsider who belongs at the top of my all time favourites list. Notably, the mythical robot overlords themselves, Daft Punk are up there near the pinnacle, especially in the electronica/funk department. Starcadian is doing exactly that and after a few more listens, maybe a shopping trip through his merch, I may end up handing over the trophy in my mind.
Or have I already?
Edit: Didn’t take long, I have handed over the trophy.