[P@D] MirroredReality – Alpenglow | Psytrance / World Music
MirroredReality’s penchant for blending classical instrumentation with electronic elements has created another masterpiece! This particular tune, featured on the “P@D: Aurora” album, is inspired in parts by the song “Alpine Skyline” from the game “A Hat in Time” and MLP’s Yakyakistan, and those respective inspirations are melded fantastically herein. An echoey percussive melody opens the track, and it is soon joined by a synth line that climbs with it through a beautiful melody while light percussion supports the arrangement. Things really take off with the introduction of strings, which add a lovely texture to the melody before the psytrance pulses to the fore backed by a choir melody, a shift that pumps up the energy without losing the flavor of the track. The shifts in pitch on the synth melody give it a world music vibe, the past melding with the new, before the arrangement fades. Another shift brings a whole world-music-flavored electronic arrangement, and the sound design is so good on the synths and chimes that they sound organic, machinery mimicking life. The climb into the psytrance drop and progression to the end have more little shifts that add dynamic flavor. I hope that you will enjoy as much as I did this beautiful track that is a credit to the artist’s imagination and skilled production.
[P@D] Wandering Artist – You have friends in Maretime Bay | Soundtrack
Wandering Artist constructed this song with the intention of mimicking the G5 movie’s structure with a predominantly light and carefree feeling, and they were unquestionably successful! The track opens with a fantastic, jazzy arrangement with a classic feel that is supported by the rest of the orchestral instrumentation. The interplay of the instruments that comprise the melody is delightful, and the addition of accordion was a great choice (there’s just something about accordion that contributes an intimate and grounded feeling to an arrangement). The brass, woodwinds, and keys dance with the plucked strings, and then the instruments take their turns at the fore, at times and swell together in glorious unison. The sombre piano interlude in the middle fits the song perfectly, and the ebbs and flows of the progression are lively and engaging as it morphs through multiple styles, even taking on an electric guitar lead towards the end. The song has an amazing balance of powerful and delicate moments throughout, and it’s no wonder that it earned a spot on the “P@D: Aurora” album!
TCB – Congrats, You Were Too Late: A 10 Year Retrospective | Album | Electronic
Okay. I probably don’t need to introduce you to TCB (If you’d like a proper introduction, may I recommend this beautiful compilation album?). All you really need to know is that this artist is one of the foremost practitioners of sound design in the fandom, that no one gets more out of a vocal chop than they do, and that emotional and psychological subject matter is their forte. Now they have given us a whole album of finely calibrated tracks, the product of 10 years of pushing boundaries and redefining sonic excellence. Your musical mind is in the hands of a master, so find a quiet place, break out the good headphones, sit down, strap in, and do your best to absorb everything that is about to come your way. It’s going to be a heck of a ride.
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brambleshadow4 – In Harmony (feat. SpinScissor) | Indie Pop
brambleshadow4 and SpinScissor have teamed up to create this super sweet tune that bridges the gap between G4 and G5! Argyle (SpinScissor) shares Equestrian lore and lessons in friendship with Sunny, and it’s nice to have this moment where the importance of the G4 heroes is passed along. The story is musically driven by light arrangements that echo the love between the characters and the love that is present in the stories they share. The strings at the opening help set the emotional hook, and then the string melody, and light percussion pull your heart into the song. When the arrangement fills out with punchy bass and synth keys it has a “small band at a summer festival” vibe. The vocals match perfectly to the arrangement, delivered with a tender confidence throughout, and the little harmony at the end of the song is a nice touch. This song is a big ol’ hug for your ears and your heart, and I hope that you enjoy this sweet story as much as I did!
Sylvver – The Wingpony | Big Room House
Based on the competition that Rainbow Dash had with Lightning Dust in the classic episode 7 of the 3rd season, Sylvver set the fire up with this banger! including that cool rave vibes, and an energetic super saw melody, Sylvver imagines the intensity of those two big friends that fought to see who is better, and to see who can be the best… The track starts with a strong beat set by a kick, and some percussive synths that make you know the whole feeling of the song. Succeeding that energetic and punchy intro, we land into a breakdown, where we can hear how the main melody (made of a gritty and rough lead) grows, and a deep and potent sub-bass, accompanied by the robust chords, makes the way along. After that gorgeous breakdown, a buildup is preparing us for the drop, and I have to admit, the drop hits harder than I thought! Showing the melody in all its glory and epicness, all together into a full symphony of cool synths. This banger is perfect for those crazy rave parties and festivals full of energy and power! It even makes you wanna jump at the rhythm of the beat. Undoubtedly, Sylvver has made a great track, so please, go and listen to this song and be sure to support her, she is a very great an underrated producer!
Vanessa Hudgens – Gonna Be My Day (Enermatrix Remix) | Hooves Up
Enermatrix has taken a whack at this highlight track from the G5 movie, and the result is awesome! The opening synth keys, pulsing beat, and nicely balanced kicks get the party started off right, and then things really take off as the additional synth track joins in and adds a high energy depth heading into the drop. Also, the percussion distorts, pitches up, and then pitches down going into the drop with this cool effect that sounds a bit like an electronic device running out of battery. Never fear, though, because the drop is surging with positive energy, and that energy level stays pumped up through the next verse. When it drops off, it gets some support from some fun chops and effects, and then really builds during the bridge, continuing a really unique progression through the song. The decision to replace the really high vocal run at the end of the bridge with a drop keeps the song delivery even and consistent without sacrificing the energy that’s been built up. It’s a wonderful and original remix effort, and I hope you’ll join me in dancing (flailing) along!
Thrasher – false_code | Album | Metal / Electronic
You can always count on Thrasher to deliver intense excellence, and here they have created an entire album’s worth of awesome, hard-charging music based around a fantastic concept! A hacker is trying to save society from the malicious clutches of the “desync reality”, a virtual world that promises salvation but instead exploits its inhabitants. The album follows the unnamed protagonist’s progress by delivering song after song of inventive and merciless metal encapsulated in finely crafted tracks that meld fierce guitars and traditional metal arrangements with electronic components through dynamic progressions. It fits the theme perfectly, and I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did. I’ll give a rundown of the songs next, so please join me below the break if you care to. Either way, go grab this album and get rocking!
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RedSpark – Dragon Magic | Epic Orchestral
RedSpark brings us this truly incredible piece, an epic orchestral song about one of the most dangerous yet majestic creatures in all of Equestria, you guessed it, the Dragons! (and about Ember the dragon, more precisely). The track begins with a really deep and eerie bass, that is gradually getting accompanied by a gentle shakuhachi (that RedSpark played himself!), it’s as if both instruments were exploring harmonies with a delicate melody. Very slowly, but with all the determination, the piece grows, an agile string instrument and a heavy drum kick can be heard, the instruments are building tension through this introduction, but like a shocking blaze, all the instruments arrive at a first climax. Some Horns build the terrain for the next section, the strings and the shakuhachi make a great sound landscape. But little by little, the strings are striking harder, and the horns are getting louder, moreover, you can feel more tension, the harmonies and the melodies are going higher and higher, until a drum fill make them release, only for a few seconds, when another climax appears, it’s monumentally awesome (man, I got goosebumps when I heard that part), all gets more imposing and majestic, no words can describe how epic it sounds. So please, listen to it out! And I’m completely sure you will find a pleasant surprise.
Nymund9 – Being a Princess | Electro
Nymund9 give us this phenomenal song that imagines the events before the new MLP Movie, it relates the thoughts, feelings and dreams of Zipp Storm, the princess of Zephir Heights. The song opens with some punchy kicks and a rough lead synth, you can feel all the frustration and emotional weight that comes with being a princess. After that introduction, we get a break, where we can only listen a piano and a small synth arp that builds a bit of tension, some vocal chops from the movie can be heard, and another arp makes its melody through the track, this time, in a higher pitch. Subsequently, the punchy drums and the rough lead make a come back, they return and mix with the other synths. The harmony of the song is incredible, the atmosphere transmits very well that tension of the feelings of the lyrics about Zipp and her questions, her role in society, and that desire to live in a better way, without the need to lie to the ponies. Please hear this truly marvelous tune and give some support to Nymund9!
Horse Music Herald 