Turquoise Splash has been in the fandom since its peak days. He wrote songs like Polychromatic, The Twilight Will Rise, and So Much Left To See. You may also know Canterlot Nights, a collaboration between him & Forest Rain. Despite having produced quite a few songs over the years, he never produced an album.

Until now! You may have expected something acoustic, but instead, A Splash of Color is 41 minutes of pure pop punk. Sit back and enjoy the full spectrum of youthfully energetic joy and angst (I mean that in the best possible way). Half the songs feature other famous artists from the fandom, making this is a real group effort.

Topping off the album is Something Better. It’s forward-looking optimism is driven by uncertainty, a lingering sense that something with life is off. Like, something needs to change, and all that’s needed is a push. Nothing so good as that moment when potential is turned into action.

If you’re looking for the real pony music, Chasing Butterflies is the gem of the album. Fluttershy and punk rock might not be a good combo at a glance, but Fluttershy’s emotional struggles are perfectly channeled out in a mosh pit. PrinceWhateverer already did it with Not Letting Go. Turquoise’s song is equally re-listenable and encouraging, it just makes you want to go out and face whatever fears you’re dealing with. The reference to Filli Vanilli won’t go unnoticed (“You’ve got the music in you”).

Doubt It a genuine radio banger. I could easily imagine myself hearing this on a rainy day somewhere in the mid-2000s. The riff is heavier, and with the lingering synth it feels like the days are passing by with problems weighing on my mind. The lyrics complement the instrumentals perfectly, and all the questions Turquoise and MelodyBrony ask themselves can only be answered with an absent-minded “doubt it”. But, call me crazy but it seems like he’s singing it with a smile, as if he sees those insecurities as part of himself, and he’s secretly happy with the way he is.

A sudden cut immediately brings us to Cellophane Skin. This one is also firmly on the melancholic side of the album. The first verse is a lament with a steady rhythm. After the chorus, this predictable tune is switched for a faster, unbalanced pace, as if everything is coming to a head for a quick minute. Cellophane is that sturdy plastic wrapping material. It’s completely transparent, hence “scars you’ll never see”.

On A Little Less Ordinary, Nexgen brings rap that provides a contrast from Turquoise’s higher-pitched voice, and that’s ideal for a song in the middle of the album. This is probably the most “IRL” song—driving, smoking, and offices aren’t really things you expect to see on an MLP album, but considering the title that may be the point. Despite its bleakness that phone call with mom still manages to be uplifting.

Back to pony, with a song originally submitted to Ponies At Dawn: Pandemonium! We don’t get a lot of Discord songs (let alone Discord punk songs), so Disarray is something completely new. We’re getting to the darker side, where we haven’t just stopped caring, but we actually want to see everything collapse. PrinceWhateverer’s mere appearance turns an acoustic tune into hard rock.

When I Left was uploaded last summer, and announced the eventual release of this album. I suppose this is more or less the “comeback” song, which at the same time looks back at what has become of the last couple of years. Well, welcome back! “No I won’t stay / I never liked this town anyway” Congrats, you just went full pop punk!

Another unexpected angle! Diamond Tiara doesn’t get a lot of love, but she’s in the right place! I never thought about it before but she would slay the punk aesthetic. Anyway, we now have Luck Rock on Time To Make A Change, singing about that aristocratic filly and how everything’s crashing down on her. That “What happened to all of your friends” line goes hard, and the second verse leans heavily on Crusaders Of The Lost Mark, “When she needed friends instead she choked / On that silver spoon shoved down her throat” Lyrics-wise this may be the strongest song of the album. Finishing off with contrapuntal verses is always amazing.

Eventually is about Starlight Glimmer. This song fits at the end of the album, as this isn’t just about about the fear of failure, but about having fallen and getting back up. She may have been given a second chance, but still lives with her misdeeds, referencing both The Cutie Map (“Sold a thousand lies, covered/shrouded their eyes and told them how to live”) and The Cutie Re-Mark (“I can’t undo the loop I put you through”), as well as her encounter with Sunburst (“Will he find out / About my secret / Don’t wanna hear it / How I’ve failed them now”). Despite all this, it’s a song that breathes optimism.

The last new song is Walking With Shadows, featuring FritzyBeat and 4EverfreeBrony. It’s a beautiful dreamy punk ballad, but I have to admit I can’t figure out whom it is about so I’ll offer some theories: Pinkamena (“But I’ve got all the company I’ll ever need,” “Something broke on the inside”)? Stygian (“Walking with shadows”)? Lightning Dust (“Fate placed me in the last”)?

Closing off the album is a re-record of Polychromatic. This energetic Rainbow Dash anthem was, if I’m not mistaken, Turquoise Splash’s first original song, released way back in 2012. As nice as that song was, this new version not only packs a lot more punch, but also shows how much Turquoise has improved his control over his voice. This is an extremely clean re-record, and as a Rainbow Dash fan I’m extremely happy this song has gotten new love.

And that’s all! I hope you’ve enjoyed the album. Turquoise Splash is scheduled to appear at BABSCon Pinkaboo’s Neighhem in California and Everfree Encore in Germany, so go there if you want to hear him live! Otherwise, check out his other stuff on YouTube and Bandcamp.

– DuxTape