In a heartfelt tribute to Derpy, The Wonderbolts spin a tale of the bubbly mare’s struggle and strife in What Went Wrong. What sets this Derpy song apart from many others is the abrasive reality portrayed through a bittersweet plea for understanding, characterized by the rugged instrumental and powerful vocals. One of the most curious defining traits of the song is the overall saturated and analog sounding mix that is present throughout, particularly during the loudest sections, evoking a sense of of looking into the past as well as considering the future of one of the fandom’s most beloved characters. This song is truly a monolith to the fandom, accompanied by art from ExclusionZone.
Misc
Vylet Pony & Sylver – Harbour (Pts. I & II) | Alternative Rock / Ambient
Yet another release from Vylet’s Homeward Album. They combine both parts of Harbour and its really cool how seamless both these parts are despite giving off a very different vibe. If you aren’t already aware, this album is all part of an intricate story that really helps bring the world of Homeward into perspective and I highly recommend you give it a read.
Harbour is actually the song Vylet is listening to on his way to visit Sylver in the story specifically in the first part. We get a very upbeat and energetic rock track that Vylet says helps him to “drown the crippling fear induced by being away from home,” The chorus is infectious and all of the elements blend together to create something truly powerful.
As the song winds down we are met with a *click* and a stark contrast as the atmosphere opens up into the bustle and noise of the Starship Ponyville which signifies the part of the story where Vylet has switched off the song and is waiting for Sylver to invite him inside his suite to reminisce on memories of Equestria and just tell each other stories to pass the time. Now I love these small details, especially when you have the context of the written story, they just breathe an air of immersion and I really appreciate when the little things, be it a conversation from the story, or sound effects are mixed into the music.
From here everything slows down and a soothing piano melody plays followed by some minute glissando and various string and woodwinds with the sounds of the busy life of the starship in the background the polyphony is wonderous and it ends all too soon but is a really touching extension to the song.
Luck Rock – Fandom (Africa Parody) | Soft Rock / Jazz Fusion
Definitely among my top favorite releases of the year, Luck’s new song is a shining example of a heartfelt and passionate rendition of a classic, turned into an expression of community love and dedication. The timeless Africa by Toto get a whole new meaning, and Luck’s tender vocals are making us melt as we experience such an emotional ponification. As someone who loves the original, and who can relate to so many of those feelings, I was so very moved by this, and I will keep supporting Luck, and all of you in the community, for all of my life. Thank you all for everything you do..!!
ROKII – SmartPony™ | Album | Electronic
ROKII recently released their SmartPony™ Album and I have to say its a real treat! Introduced with an eerie yet mystical ambiance that relays a sense of discovery and the unknown. From here things progressively ramp up and AI Heartbeat really caught my attention here. Its very mechanical yet melodic and everything feels like clockwork from here as elements are brought in and out breathing life to the machine and is a very solid track that blends the mysticism of the opening with the rest of the album’s inner workings.
After a short interlude we get into the dark and gritty of Internet Protocol Address. After the AI comes alive it than needs an identifier. That is where this track comes into play with some industrial minimalist vibes it really feels like a driving force for whats to come.
This album has quite a lot of diversity ranging from ambient, to progressive house, tech house, dubstep, complextro, and more and its just such a fun experience to explore the mind of the SmartPony™. I especially love its ending. The raw emotion it exudes is awe-inspiring and the world it shapes before we even get into the first few notes really sets us up to let us know that it is indeed getting dark, and their batteries have run out; at least for now…
Koron Korak & Mane In Green – The Magic Inside (feat. Lena Hall) (Covering Daniel Ingram) | Orchestral
The magic inside the hearts of Koron Korak and Mane In Green resonated, and together they created such a wonderful cover of Rara’s iconic song The Magic Inside! Lena Hall‘s original vocals get sublimated once again as expert violin performance by Koron is accompanied by a breathtaking piano play by Mane. With even more instruments and creativity coming into play, it is not just a musical tribute but also a continuation of the emotions from the original from Daniel Ingram that unfolds here, and we can only commend and cheer for the talented duo who did so many wonders with this! Also notice how Koron is literally appearing on stage with Rara in the video!
Reverbrony – My Catharsis | Acoustic / Metal
Expressing even more emotion than usual in this new piece, Reverbrony shows another of the powers of music, that is to act as a Catharsis. Read the description to know more, as the might and beauty of this much progressive piece unfold, lifting your spirits and soothing your heart with many instruments and melodic parts.
TCB & Ditherer – The Closet Anthology | Album | Hip-Hop
This is an album that deserves thousands of posts! Our dear pony musicians TCB and Ditherer teamed up for the loveliest of results: a 15-tracks Hip-Hop album brimming with passion toward ponies and episodes! Why, Ditherer imagined so many rich and deep backstories and headcanon to ponies, wrote a lot of amazing and thoughtful lyrics about them, and sang them in all those themed songs! That’s a lot of pony passion and dedication and I LOVE it! Equally dedicated to the cause, TCB did amazing as well with so many instrumentals that truly shine, both in themselves and in accompaniment of the vocals, and if you know TCB you just know they have that special emotion that we get from TCB’s music and unique creativity. Each of the tracks has something special, much emotion, and a lot of love and passion to express toward ponies, but let’s mention Schism of Years about that fateful fight between the two sisters and its aftermath, In Loco Parentis about a deeper-than-ever Trixie, Farewell to Spring about Roseluck, Death in the Afternoon about Berry Punch’s drinking problems and relationships, Multiple Choice about the events of the S5 finale, and so, so many others that have so much in store for you. Grab it all from Ditherer’s Bandcamp, or listen to each track individually from Ditherer’s YouTube channel!
The Shake Ups In Ponyville – Graduation Day | Power Pop
Never stop learning! …Unless you’re Applejack and were right all along, of course! Our beloved Shake Ups are paying tribute to our community and the roads traveled together, appreciating the show and all those positive messages and lessons, and spreading them around us. Their signature musical style does wonders once again, and for the lucky ones attending Chicagoland’s Whinny City Pony Con, know that you’ll get the chance to see them perform live! They’ll have a gig on the evening of Saturday the 6th and the morning of Sunday the 7th, more details here!
SDreamExplorerS – Oblivion Highway | Prog Rock / Prog Metal
Here we are with the first single from Ephemeral II: Parallels. Right from the opening seconds this song captivated me with its foreboding atmosphere and intriguing instrumentation. There is A LOT going on here from complex melodies to intricate and subtle percussive elements. The Oblivion Highway is a journey to our past across the the land of memories. You can feel the mood progress throughout as we visit some of life’s more pleasant memories, our vivid recollections, times of joy, and times we wish to forget. The album releases on May 1, 2019 and if you like intricate story telling through song, this is the album for you!
4everfreebrony – Luna-by | Piano Ballad
“What if you had to sing a lullaby to a child who goes to sleep when the sun comes up?” 4everfreebrony answers this question with a wonderfully soothing lullaby for none other than the Princess of the Night herself. The lyrics are very poetic and the raw emotion of the piano is spectacular! Even if you aren’t a fan of lullabies, this short and sweet song is a must listen!
Horse Music Herald 