Oh, man, this one is such a delight! Part of GLIMM’s upcoming 4-track EP called “(PRINCESSES)” (along with the Princess Luna-themed “Illuminate My Night”), the track opens with a gentle piano melody that gains a sweet, reverby airiness as the volume increases. Then the hyperpop synth melody and distorted percussion sliiiiide into the mix, and suddenly we have a bouncy, uplifting song befitting the Princess of Love! The chiptune-like melody shift is a really nice touch when it kicks in, and the further incorporation of reverb-drenched piano is just bliss. The splicing of the melody together with the percussion throughout is done deftly and creates a pleasing glitchiness to the arrangement, and the backing synth scales fill out the mix really nicely. Give it a listen and get a little taste of what Princess Cadence’s subjects feel when they gaze upon their fair ruler!
Author: thecanderson
MirroredReality – Fire | Psytrance
MirroredReality continues their exploration of blending specific musical flavors with electronic music (see “Mirage”), and man, is it a banger! Inspired by Brilliant Venture’s “‘World on Fire’ 2020 Mix” (AMAZING video) of Lectro Dub’s song “Fallen” (SO GOOD), MirroredReality attempts a more aggressive sound on this fantastic track. The accompanying video reflects the song’s intention: Trying to capture the rage and aggression of MLP characters like Daybreaker and the Niriks. The combination of traditional and electronic percussion, electronic effects, piano, and eastern world music instrumentation is such a wonderful blend. The psytrance delivery lends an urgency to the arrangement, and it’s great how it really serves as the catalyst for the song by providing a foundation for all of the other elements, allowing them to jump in and out as if you are caught in a firestorm and catching glimpses of destruction. A wonderful song and a fantastic tribute to some masters of fiery violence!
Blackened Blue – The Road Less Travelled | Hard Rock
Oh no! Blackened Blue is lost in the desert and losing his mind! Well, at least we get a kick ass rock track out of it! By this point, it should come as absolutely no surprise that one of the premier rockers in the fandom has absolutely crushed the sound of the heyday of hard rock. The driving electric guitar, drums, and bass arrangement is so satisfying to hear. What I like about this straightforward arrangement is that it allows the listener to appreciate how good the instruments sound with lots of reverb goodness and a pleasing openness to the mix. The icing on the angst cake is Blackened Blue’s vocals, which are fantastic and spot on for this style of song, delivering lyrics that have me a little concerned for his well-being. I also love the art used in the accompanying video which really helps pull the viewer into the story. I know that it’s too much to hope for a full “rock band in the scorching desert” music video, but it’s still fun to imagine one! Hope you enjoy listening to this track (at high volume) as much as I do!
Koron Korak – Dreamy Violet Eyes of Wonders | Chillout
What a beautiful gift! Inspired in part by a special somepony and Twilight Sparkle (Check out the YouTube description and wonderful video art!), this sweet and shimmery track is brimming with lovely vibes! The track opens with the sounds of nighttime insects before a light melody joins in. The melody is soon joined by a simple rhythm before adding an additional synth, bass, and guitar. Touches of choir and melodic percussion support the main arrangement before some beautiful, summer-y violin takes front stage and adds a sweet earthiness to the ethereal mix. The arrangement’s composition and intensity shifts, ebbs, and flows as the song drifts along through the warm summer evening. Please show Koron Korak some love for this chill and upbeat track!
SeriousDamir – Never Stop Loving You | Eurobeat
No matter where you fall on the legitimacy of the AppleDash ship, you can be thankful that it inspired this absolute banger from SeriousDamir (check the YouTube description/pinned comment for more info on the artist’s inspiration)! The song truly feels like Rainbow Dash Eurobeat as the electric guitar, synths, and bass elements lend an intensity to the song that fantastically compliments its blissfully upbeat delivery. SeriousDamir’s voice is perfect for the song, and their lyrics depict such a wonderful message of love and acceptance. The message that everyone deserves love and that love can find its way through differences (and sometimes because of them) is fantastic. Also, SeriousDamir made the artwork in the video, which is a great touch!
TIFWhitney – Le Derp (Aventrix Bootleg Remix) | Electro Swing / Complextro House
The original version of this song by TiFWhitney is a bouncy delight that fuses electro swing and glitch hop to great effect. This version retains those wonderful elements but delivers them at House pace creating a danceable and delightful uptempo remix! The song sounds as if it was always intended to run at express pace, and the Derpy vocal chops are a nice addition, too. Also, if you got a little bit of a Star Wars cantina vibe from the music then you might enjoy the choice of artwork for the video. The Derp is strong with this one.
Bridull – Cold Brew Coffee | Album | Lo-fi / Chillout
This might seem like an odd suggestion for such a subdued album, but you might want to turn the volume up a little on this one, because it would be a shame to miss any parts of the delicate arrangements on these tracks! This lo-fi/chillout offering follows Applejack as she works her way through a substantial lineup of caffeinated beverages. Bridull (a.k.a. Noizzer) uses a wide array of samples that were created by a group that’s listed in the Bandcamp credits, which I love. It’s apparent from the album’s art and the concern of the barista in the Bandcamp description that Applejack is a little worse for wear, and the introspective nature of these songs certainly reflects that. Let’s take a look at what she’s drinking and hope that she works through whatever is wrong soon!
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Rubber – Dragonshy (feat. ItsJustAustin) | Hip-Hop
Based on and featuring vocal chops from the S01E07 episode “Dragonshy”, this song spits more fire than a full-sized dragon! Rubber and ItsJustAustin flex their lyrical and vocal muscles on this track that recognizes what fans of the show know well: If you mess with Fluttershy you just might get Mean Fluttershy, especially when it comes to defending her friends! I loved this hip hop rendition of the story of Fluttershy taking on the dragon and its recognition of how satisfying it is watching Flutters throw down. Rubber really knows how to tell a story, and their usual slick beats and thematically effective melody accompany a great Rubber-made pic of our favorite soft spoken badass.
Ricardofr-200 – Applejack’s Lullaby Remix | Chillhop
The original version of this song, from the episode “Bloom and Gloom“, is a short, sweet reassurance from Applejack to Apple Bloom that she will always be loved by her friends. Ricardofr-200 takes that 20 second song and morphs it into a listening experience akin to wrapping yourself up in a warm blanket pulled straight from the dryer. Fantastic vocal chops are layered in with synth elaborations on the vocal melody, and there’s a really nice progression through a couple of different styles of that melody. Simple but effective percussion and pitched vocal effects add a nice dynamic to the song. If you’re having a down day, let AJ sing your troubles away!
One Track Mind – Cyberpony EP | Electronic
Okay, everypony, I’m going to level with you. I almost didn’t listen to this album. The first time that I played “Flyby at Night”, I got about a minute in, and I bailed. “This is too much 80s-style synth for me,” I remember saying at the time. I guess I was busy with some other stuff, and it didn’t engage me at first. Then I looked at the Bandcamp page and modus_ponens’s review. It was a glowing review, and it listed “Flyby at Night” as the reviewer’s favorite track. “Okay, okay,” I thought to myself. “I’ll give it another shot.” Later that day I found myself in the kitchen needing to get a bunch of cooking done and wanting a little background music. Long story short, that time flew by, and now I have to agree with modus_ponens–these are all great songs. Please give this album a listen! Feel free to read on for my take on this soundtrack to a story that I wish that I knew better!
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Horse Music Herald 