XENNON is a British synthwave artist/producer who up until recently was based in Tokyo, Japan. His music is heavily influenced by the synthesized sounds of the 80s, as well as Japanese game and video culture. He’s also curator of the Synthwave Sounds playlist on Spotify, which has amassed over 40,000 followers. In September 2019, he released his debut album MIAMI COP, a concept work inspired by the 80s hit TV show Miami Vice, as well as the synth-driven pop-rock that was so popular at that time. MIAMI COP tells the story of an alternative Miami circa 1987, where the city is a dystopian world in which technology has advanced far beyond our own world’s, and crime has spiraled out of control. (You can read my album review here.)
Now XENNON is back with “Hilt“, the first single from his forthcoming second concept album Dark of a Distant World. Inspired by the sci-fi and fantasy movies of the 80s such as The Neverending Story and Masters of the Universe, the album will take the listener on a journey to other worlds as we follow Kurt, a boy who holds the key to saving the planet Eternicron, and embarks on an adventure that transcends time and space. Once again, the concept and featured artwork was done by Travis Wright, who continues to work with XENNON on all of his releases and stories.
The song opens with an assertive synth drum beat that provides a strong rhythmic groove driving the song forward. XENNON then layers a colorful mix of swirling, shimmery synths, pulsating percussive beats and lots of crashing cymbals to create a vibrant, optimistic soundscape that has an almost anthemic quality. As the character Kurt, he plaintively sings of his struggles and self-doubt, not sure whether he has the fortitude to continue, but clinging to the hope that through another’s love and support, he’ll prevail. “I’m not sure I’m getting better. Days drag me down sometimes I’ve found. But maybe if here, beside you I stand, with this hilt tight in my hand. I’ll take it to the other side and get out, safe and sound.”
It’s another great song by XENNON, and I look forward to hearing more tracks from his latest concept album.
1. MARIA – Two Feet (1)
2. LEVEL OF CONCERN – twenty one pilots (2)
3. HELL N BACK – Bakar (5)
4. YOUR LOVE (DÉJÀ VU) – Glass Animals (4)
5. CAUTION – The Killers (3)
6. LEMON DROP – Absofacto (8)
7. LOST IN YESTERDAY – Tame Impala (7) 21st week on list
8. IF NOT FOR THE FIRE – The Million Reasons (9)
9. HOW WILL I REST IN PEACE IF I’M BURIED BY A HIGHWAY?// – Kenny Hoopla (10)
10. LAY YOUR HEAD ON ME – Major Lazer featuring Marcus Mumford (11)
11. BLACK & WHITE LOVE – Beating Hearts Club (13)
12. DELETER – Grouplove (6)
13. BE AFRAID – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (15)
14. EXPECTATIONS – Katie Pruitt (16)
15. HONEYBEE – The Head and the Heart (17)
16. LIVING IN A GHOST TOWN – The Rolling Stones (19)
17. PSYCH FILM – Strangely Alright (20)
18. SOMEONE ELSE – Rezz & Grabbitz (21)
19. BLACK MADONNA – Cage the Elephant (12) 22nd week on list
20. HALLUCINOGENICS – Matt Maeson (24)
21. STRANGERS – Mt. Joy (22)
22. FIRE – Black Pumas (23)
23. BAD DECISIONS – The Strokes (14)
24. HEAVEN IS HEART – Jaded Jane (26)
25. REAL LONG TIME – White Reaper (28)
26. LONELINESS FOR LOVE – lovelytheband (18)
27. DON’T LET ME DOWN – Milky Chance featuring Jack Johnson (29)
28. MONSTERS – All Time Low featuring blackbear (30)
29. NOT OK! – Chaz Cardigan (N)
30. SWIMMING CLOSER – HAZY (N)
Terry Barber is an internationally acclaimed singer and actor currently based in New Jersey. With his uniquely beautiful countertenor voice, he has a distinguished career in opera, musical theater and as a recording artist. He’s appeared on such renowned stages as Carnegie Hall, the New York Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera and Moscow’s Svetlanov Hall, and was formerly a member of the classical vocal ensemble Chanticleer. He’s also appeared on albums by Madonna, Chaka Khan and Cyndi Lauper, and has performed with the London Philharmonic. Terry has recorded albums featuring a wide range of genres, including pop, classical, gospel, opera and Broadway musicals. Last year (2019), he released Reimagined: Mercury, a collaborative work featuring covers of many of Queen’s hit songs.
Terry is also active in many social causes, and in 2009 founded the non-profit organization Artists for a Cause, whose mission is to provide support for artists who serve community needs. Troubled by fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine, then the killing of George Floyd and resulting protests and riots, Terry was moved to write his very first song “When the World Falls Apart” to express the powerful emotions he was feeling. He explained that the song “is my response to the current tragedies we are facing. As an artist, I have always known that my talent is my power to make a difference. We all must do more.” I’ve chosen it as my New Song of the Week.
“When the World Falls Apart” is a gorgeous song, with a haunting piano-driven melody, accompanied by sweeping orchestral instrumentals and an anthemic synth drum beat that kicks in halfway into the track. But the real highlight is Terry’s dramatic and stunning countertenor vocals that go from tender to impassioned. He brings goosebumps as he passionately sings the stirring lyrics that speak to the strong feelings of isolation, anxiety, fear and pain so many of us have experienced over the past three-plus months.
To accompany the single, Terry has created a beautiful, deeply moving video featuring images of empty streets and theaters, people struggling with isolation due to being quarantined, and people protesting racial injustice. But there are also glimmers of hope, as shown by images of people helping and caring for others. Terry is donating 50% of the proceeds from sales of the single to the NAACP.
Note: I actually briefly met Terry around 10 or 11 years ago, when I lived in St. Louis. I lived in the historic Lafayette Square district, where his father Terry, Sr. and stepmom Pat also live, and know them fairly well. In fact, Pat was one of the very first people I met from the neighborhood prior to my moving there in early 1995. Anyway, Terry came to St. Louis to perform at an intimate venue, and I had the pleasure of hearing him sing.
Fireglow is a rock and roll band based in Sydney, Australia. Through their fun, upbeat style of 60s and 70s-inspired music and lively on-stage performances, they’ve built quite a local following since forming in the spring of 2018. Making the music are Chris (guitar/vocals), Sean (guitar/vocals), Bruno (bass), Catherine (keyboards) and Frankie (drums). Starting with the release of their first single “Back of Her Blue Eyes” in June 2019, they’ve been on a creative tear, dropping three more singles over the next six months. This past April (2020), they released their debut EP Fireglow II, featuring four new tracks. One of those tracks is “Won’t Forget You“, which they released as a single on June 12, along with a video.
Even though it was released at the beginning of winter season in Australia, “Won’t Forget You” has a sunny vibe that makes it the perfect song for summer. Opening with the lines “She was fresh out of school, and she blew my mind like a virgin stone blowing down the sands of time / Summer sun wasn’t kind, it blistered our skin”, it’s a lighthearted song about the ups and downs of a summer romance. Over a toe-tapping groove courtesy of Bruno’s warm bass line and Frankie’s snappy drums, Chris and Sean layer a colorful mix of rhythm and jangly electric guitars, while Catherine’s ukelele and swirling organ riff adds a nice touch to the proceedings. Chris and Sean’s vocal harmonies are really wonderful too. It’s an incredibly pleasing tune that seems to channel the music of 60s bands like The Lovin’ Spoonful and The Turtles, as well late 70s Tom Petty.
The sweet video shows the band’s playful nature as they perform the song and frolic outdoors in the woods or by the seashore, waves crashing at their feet. It’s clear they like to deliver a little fun with their music.
I was not familiar with the music of Welsh-born and now London-based artist Bryde before my fellow blogger Robert Horvat (whose blog Rearview Mirroris outstanding, so do check it out) asked that I consider reviewing her new album The Volume of Things. Despite Robert’s confidence, after blogging about music for more than four and a half years, I’m still terribly insecure about my writing, and often feel out of my league when it comes to discussing music. I also often struggle with album reviews, as I find capturing the essence of the songs and what the artist or band is attempting to express through those songs can be a daunting task.
With that in mind, as I customarily do for all artists and bands I review, I listened to Bryde’s back catalog to more fully acquaint myself with her music in order to at least try to sound halfway intelligent in my review of her new album. And I can unequivocally state that I was immediately impressed by her strong, deeply meaningful songwriting, exquisite melodies, richly-layered guitar work and enchanting vocals.
Bryde is the artistic moniker of singer-songwriter and guitarist Sarah Howells, who’s been writing and recording music for over ten years. She started out as one half of alternative folk/pop duo Paper Aeroplanes, who together released a number of wonderful singles, EPs and albums between 2010 and 2015. Also in 2015, she began recording and releasing a series of singles and EPs as Bryde, culminating in the release in 2018 of her marvelous debut album Like an Island. The album is a dramatic collection of 13 stunning tracks exploring darker themes inspired by a break-up, all expressed with a heavier and edgier, yet still fragile, alt-rock sensibility. The lead single “To Be Brave” has been streamed more than 3.2 million times on Spotify.
Now she’s returned with her sophomore album The Volume Of Things, which dropped May 29th. The album was partly inspired by the emotional burnout she experienced following the release of Like an Island, which led her to explore a new paradigm of self-healing. She describes the work as “the calm before the storm – before a new calm I’m working towards.” That said, the record sees her return to a somewhat gentler, more folk-oriented approach, though the tracks still exhibit her passionate songwriting and skill for delivering a rousing, guitar-driven rock song.
This is perfectly exemplified on the beautiful opening track “Silence“. The song opens rather tentatively, with Bryde softly crooning “So, I was restless as a child. Full, like a rain cloud, this desire” accompanied by shimmery guitar notes. Then it blossoms into a glorious, exuberant anthem with driving rhythms and lush guitars as she plaintively sings of seeking inner peace and contentment though the love of another: “Can I come in, can I be part of this silence? And leave here with my heart on the outside. Can I come in, can you satisfy this feeling? I want it to be more than redeeming.”
On “The Trouble Is“, Bryde implores to a lover who’s unable to find contentment in life, always feeling that things never live up to their expectations: “I think that trouble is what you want. I think the struggle is just what gets you off. We’re in the same America. Looking for some way to get it right. The things you think to yourself at night.” The song has a comforting vibe, with a wonderful, head-bopping melody, vibrant 80s-flavored synths and a fantastic bass line. But the highlights for me are her sumptuous mix of fuzz-coated and swirling guitars, as well as her captivating vocals that harmonize so beautifully with her guitars.
“Done” sees Bryde confronting someone who’s broken her down and killed her spirit until she’s finally done with the relationship: “…steal all my dreams, insist I ought to have none. Stayed on my hands til they’re numb. My defenses crumble one by one. Stay strong, and stay well. Think I forgot what it was like, this effortless hell. To be here, with you there. Deaden my eyes, poison my mind by daring to dwell in possibility.” She continues with this theme on “80 Degrees“, desperately trying to bring closure to the lingering pain and bitterness over a failed relationship. The biting lyrics are a perfect example of her songwriting brilliance: “And of all the things that you didn’t throw, your fancy gifts were the first to go. Now the charity shops round here know me by name, think I’m insane. / All the things we said we wanted, don’t want them anymore.”
As the album progresses, I’m struck by the superior quality of every track. The hauntingly beautiful “Flies” has a captivating guitar-driven melody that’s absolutely stunning. The music builds to a dramatic crescendo in the bridge – guitars and Bryde’s vocals blazing – then calms at the end as she softly croons the refrain “Negative thoughts divide and multiply like flies.” She taps into her pop-rock alter-ego with the exuberant radio-friendly gem “Paper Cups“. With an infectiously bouncy beat that aims straight for the hips, the song is a delight from start to finish. The chugging, jangly guitars are wonderful, as are her lilting vocals as she sings to someone with whom she’s found comfort: “Call it what you want. Tell me things too loud to hear. Collect all my words in paper cups.” Be sure to check out this cool 360° video.
Bryde takes a darker turn on the haunting, grunge-infused “Hallelujahs” and the moody but beautiful “Another Word for Free“. I love the mesmerizing synths, and her vocals have an almost ethereal quality as she softly croons “Would you be the weight off my shoulders?” She picks up the pace on “Handing It Over“, with fuzz-coated jangly guitars layered over an exuberant uptempo rhythm.
“Outsiders” is another hauntingly beautiful track, and one of my favorites on the album. Bryde bares her heart and soul here, entreating to someone she loves who doesn’t share her intensity of feelings: “And I want something more than whatever it is you came here for. You say that no one knows just what they want, but I do. I do. I want you.” The wobbly, mysterious synths are bewitching, and her breathy heartfelt vocals convey a strong vulnerability and sense of longing expressed by the lyrics.
The album closes with the stunning title track “The Volume of Things“. Bryde sings the lyrics that seem to be about the challenges of being completely honest, both to others and to ourselves: “We shed our coats as the temperature rose like a lump in my throat. A voice drowned out by the volume of things I won’t talk about.” Her gently strummed guitar is positively sublime, punctuated by beautiful notes of twangy guitar. Three quarters of the way into the track, a military-style drumbeat enters as the music swells to a sweeping, cinematic crescendo. It’s a magnificent finish to a truly spectacular album.
I had knee replacement surgery at the beginning of the week, so have felt out of sorts as I contend with the residual pain, swelling and stiffness. That, combined with the continuous stream of bad news on seemingly all fronts, has put me in a bit of a funk. So it was a real joy – a blessing, really – to hear the wonderful new single “It’s You” by pop-rock band The Frontier. It was love at first listen, and I’m pleased to make it my New Song of the Week.
The Frontier is an unsigned indie-pop/alt rock band from Fairfax County, Virginia (west of Washington D.C.). Formed in 2016 by singer/songwriter and guitarist Jake Mimikos, a very kind, talented and funny guy who first released an EP Chaos to Clarity as a solo artist in 2015, The Frontier has released numerous singles and two EPs, most recently Luminescence in June 2019. One of the singles that appears on that EP is “Dark Places” a gorgeous song I loved so much that it went to #1 on my Weekly Top 30 and ended up at #15 on my Top 100 Songs of 2019 list.
Like many bands, they’ve undergone some changes in line-up over time, and now consist of Jake on vocals & guitar, Eric Boggess on lead guitar, Eric Dolinger on bass and Eduardo Santana on drums. I’ve followed both Jake and The Frontier since 2016, and have enjoyed all of their music. “It’s You” is a catchy and upbeat song of love and devotion sung to someone who’s made his life more worthwhile and complete. I love the exuberant and beautiful melody, and the plucky guitars, swirling synths, galloping bass and crisp percussion are perfection from start to finish. Jake’s vibrant vocals sound better than ever, and I think it’s one of their best songs yet.
The song was released around the time of Jake’s 38th birthday. In conjunction with the single release, Jake made a video featuring contributions of footage sent to him by fans. He explained: “As I get older, and my circle gets smaller, I feel deeply grateful for the people who have always supported me and continue to do so. I doubt this song will change the world, but maybe it will brighten up somebody’s day or mood just a bit. I especially appreciate everyone who participated in the music video. This was perhaps the most fun I’ve ever had putting one together. Thank you for your contributions. This song is dedicated to…you guessed it..YOU! This will be the last song I release under The Frontier for a little while. I’m gonna take a break and focus on myself and maybe do some solo shows here and there.”
Well, the song and video certainly brightened my mood! Thank you Jake and The Frontier.
So many nights I wondered Wondering how long this could take How much time I wasted Thinking about how many more mistakes I could make
Oh oh oh And it’s you I finally found the light Oh oh oh And it’s you because it feels so right Oh oh oh And it’s you until you change your mind Til we’re out of time
So many lies I told myself All of the loneliness I felt It disappears with I’m with you And I know that you feel it too
Oh oh oh And it’s you I finally found the light Oh oh oh And it’s you because it feels so right Oh oh oh And it’s you until you change your mind Til we’re out of time
Ooh, the time I wasted, chasing, waiting Ooh, the time I’ve wasted, chasing, waiting
And it’s you I finally found the light Oh oh oh And it’s you because it feels so right Oh oh oh And it’s you until you change your mind Til we’re out of time
1. MARIA – Two Feet (1)
2. LEVEL OF CONCERN – twenty one pilots (2)
3. CAUTION – The Killers (3)
4. YOUR LOVE (DÉJÀ VU) – Glass Animals (6)
5. HELL N BACK – Bakar (8)
6. DELETER – Grouplove (4)
7. LOST IN YESTERDAY – Tame Impala (5) 20th week on list
8. LEMON DROP – Absofacto (9)
9. IF NOT FOR THE FIRE – The Million Reasons (10)
10. HOW WILL I REST IN PEACE IF I’M BURIED BY A HIGHWAY?// – Kenny Hoopla (12)
11. LAY YOUR HEAD ON ME – Major Lazer featuring Marcus Mumford (13)
12. BLACK MADONNA – Cage the Elephant (7) 21st week on list
13. BLACK & WHITE LOVE – Beating Hearts Club (14)
14. BAD DECISIONS – The Strokes (11)
15. BE AFRAID – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (16)
16. EXPECTATIONS – Katie Pruitt (17)
17. HONEYBEE – The Head and the Heart (18)
18. LONELINESS FOR LOVE – lovelytheband (15)
19. LIVING IN A GHOST TOWN – The Rolling Stones (21)
20. PSYCH FILM – Strangely Alright (22)
21. SOMEONE ELSE – Rezz & Grabbitz (23)
22. STRANGERS – Mt. Joy (24)
23. FIRE – Black Pumas (25)
24. HALLUCINOGENICS – Matt Maeson (26)
25. HALF YOUR AGE – Joywave (19)
26. HEAVEN IS HEART – Jaded Jane (28)
27. BLINDING LIGHTS – The Weeknd (20)
28. REAL LONG TIME – White Reaper (30)
29. DON’T LET ME DOWN – Milky Chance featuring Jack Johnson (N)
30. MONSTER – All Time Low featuring blackbear (N)
Agent Johnny Red is an electronic musician, singer-songwriter and composer based in Portland, Maine. He’s been fairly prolific in his music output over the past five years or so, recording and releasing several singles, EPs and compilations, most of which are available on his Bandcamp page. At the end of May, he dropped his first official album Run Against the Sequence, a concept work inspired by his own personal life experiences.
He explained that the album “is about how humans get stuck in recurring behavior patterns or programs that are based upon past events. This is an album about Agent Johnny Red running against the sequence or patterns that were ultimately controlling his life. Addiction to bad relationships, food and drugs are all part of the sequence.” He added that the word ‘Against’ stands for how difficult it is to overcome these bad habits: “Kind of like an Alfred Hitchcock movie, no matter what you do you can’t escape it. But the character in this story does eventually escape at the end.”
The album opens with sounds of a man speaking the words “I won’t deny that there’s some strange, evolutionary process going on, but mankind won’t be destroyed. The fact that you and I are already here today is evidence of that“, and thus begins the first track “Just keep Repeating“. Agent Johnny Red uses an array of dark, yet beautiful swirling synths set to a pulsating EDM beat to create a mysterious atmosphere that conveys a feeling of being in a kind of twilight zone. Eventually, the man’s voice returns to say “Another day is done all over again.” “Figure out this Mess” has an equally ominous vibe, with harsh swooping and pulsating industrial synths forming a psychedelic backdrop for Johnny Red’s droning moody vocals.
On “Lightning in a Black Hole“, Johnny Red seems to be speaking to someone who can save him from himself and his troubles: “Tell me what you want me to be. I’ll tell you I’m all that I can ever be. / I just want to go out for a drive. Just to see the sky. I know it’s crazy, but we’ll be fine if we forget about time.” I really like the lush combination of synth sounds and textures he uses in this and other tracks, and how well his music pairs with his vulnerable, rather melancholy vocals.
The album features a number of terrific instrumental tracks, including “Videodrome“, with its fascinating mix of synthwave, sci-fi, EDM and dubstep elements; the uptempo and otherworldly “Destination of Red“; the mesmerizing, psychedelic and spacey “Save Some Space“; the techno-heavy “Survival is Changes“; and one of my favorites “Don’t Destroy the Water“, a wonderful futuristic fantasia of swirling sci-fi synths and haunting female chorale-like vocal drones, set to captivating dubstep beats.
The title track “Run Against the Sequence” encapsulates everything the album is about, which is the struggle to reach a point of mental clarity and emotional freedom from bad habits and addictions that have kept you enslaved: “Every step that I take will get me closer to awake. Every love that you find will get you closer to rewind. I know that time’s confusing. What if it’s an illusion?” Musically, the song has a haunting piano-driven melody, with a colorful mix of wobbly and stabbing synths, accompanied by hand claps.
“Hack Time (You Work Harder)” has an eerie, almost goth-like vibe, with throbbing industrial synths set to a hypnotic rhythmic beat. The tinkling piano keys add a nice textural contrast, keeping the track from sounding too dark. Johnny Red’s electronically-altered echoed vocals sound pained as he laments of wanting to feel better and be free of his demons and addictions that offer only temporary relief from the pain: “Break free from the things in your brain. / You fell asleep at the wheel. You’re happy when you can feel. You’re happy when you heal. / I just wanna move around the sequence. I just wanna hack time.” It’s another one of my favorite tracks on the album.
“Save the Light” is the point of escape, when Johnny finds the truth in the pain of not succumbing to addiction. His vocals are auto-tuned, giving them an even more haunting feel as he sings of being trapped by his addiction, and wanting to break free. ‘Seven seas’ are a metaphor for his freedom: “Back when you thought you could be everything, you saw something great in the seven seas. You ran benediction through your head but addiction had you dead. But you were here and you were sure that if you come back to the seven seas. Come back and let me be. I believe this is a dream come true.” He realizes he needs to be strong, keeping freedom from addiction at the forefront of his goals: “Think the way that you can feel. Fight the urge to make the deal. All these scars that will not heal are just dreams, they are not real.”
Yet he continues to struggle with self-doubt and guilt over pain he’s caused others: “No I don’t want to go back home. I want to stay on this earth. I wanna stay on this earth but you keep killing it. I am telling you I don’t want to see them die. I don’t want to see them cry just so I can feel alive.” He ultimately comes to the realization that he wants to live a life free from addiction: “And if I save the light, then the dark might take me tonight. And on the seven seas everything might be alright.” Johnny Red uses complex and lush industrial and psychedelic synths and some lovely guitar notes to create a somber, yet hopeful mood. It’s a magnificent and moving track.
The album closes on a more upbeat and positive note with “A Puzzled Picture“. The track has a lighthearted vibe, thanks to a lively mix of skittering spacey synths. The man’s spoken voice we heard on the opening track returns to offer a few lines of wisdom, though I’m unable to make out exactly what he’s saying.
Not being a musician, nor very knowledgeable about music theory, technique or mechanics, it’s often hard for me to fully articulate what I hear when listening to electronic music. That said, I have nevertheless written about quite a lot of it, and can confidently state that Run Against the Sequence is in the top tier of electronic music albums I’ve reviewed. Agent Johnny Red is a highly creative, talented and imaginative composer, as well as thoughtful songwriter, and should be very proud of his latest work. This is an album that requires a couple of close listens to fully appreciate all of it’s many nuances, but you will be rewarded for your effort.
Bloom de Wilde is a London-based singer-songwriter, producer and visual artist with a fascinating and eccentric avant garde sound. Born in the Netherlands to a Dutch artist mother and an Indonesian father who lead his own traditional Indonesian music ensemble known as Gamelan, Bloom’s experiences growing up in a multi-ethnic environment led her to develop an innovative and imaginative approach to her music. Drawing from an eclectic mix of influences by some of her favorite artists such as Radiohead, Jeff Buckley, Tom Waits, Björk, Billie Holiday, Chet Baker, Nina Simone and Toxic Chicken, Bloom fuses elements of dream, ethno and experimental art pop, folk and jazz with unconventional melodies and a rich mix of instruments to create exuberant, colorful soundscapes that transport us to exotic, faraway places. Moreover, her unusual and distinctive vocal style has earned her comparisons to Joanna Newsom, Kate Bush and Björk.
Bloom has been writing and recording songs for several years, and some of her older tracks can be found on her Soundcloud account. In July 2019, she began releasing a series of singles, starting with “Soul Siren”, which won both the International Songwriting Award for best female singer songwriter, and the UK Songwriting Competition for Best Video. That October, she followed up with “Rock, Plant & Animal”, a hopeful ode to nature and earth. That song won the Alternative Friday Award for best Folk & Art-pop track. She later released two more singles “Atlas Cassandra” and “Do & Be”, and on June 12, dropped her debut album The Heart Shall Be Rewarded by the Universe.
Released via Dream Society Records, the album features those four tracks plus two others. I asked her why she’s calling it an album when it contains only six tracks. She responded that “format-wise it’s an EP, but content-wise it’s definitely an album.” The songs were written and arranged by Bloom, who sang all vocals and played several instruments including piano, Fender Rhodes electric piano, guitar, harmonium, glockenspiel, organ and synth programming. The tracks were co-produced by her and Nick Trepka and Sam Ritchie, who also played some of the instruments. In addition, ten other musicians played various instruments on the album, including flugelhorn, kora, viola, violin, trumpet, trombone, saxophone, tuba and double bass, all contributing to the songs’ lush, dreamy sounds.
About the album, Bloom explains: “These songs have all been inspired by the human beings and cats that are closest to my heart; and as we are all the Universe perceiving itself through infinite subjective perspectives, I feel it is via the Heart that the Universe speaks. In these strange and challenging liminal times, I feel it is possible for us to create a new reality – a life-sustaining harmonious world where people are kind and generous to all earthlings, human or animal, and look after the planet and it’s plant life with love and care. This album is an invitation to celebrate life in all its wondrous, colourful exuberance. Let’s sing, dance, dream, paint, play and meow a new world into existence.”
Bloom opens her album with “Soul Siren“, a delightful song of love. Employing an exotic and lush array of instruments, highlighted by soulful trumpet and shimmery notes from a West African kora, she fashions an enchanting backdrop for her quirky vocals. She uses her voice like another instrument, reaching almost childlike high notes as her voice sweetly coos, then soars with an emotion-filled confidence in the choruses. She sings of her strong emotional and physical connection with her beloved – she’s the siren to her soulmate: “I will show you all the secret hearts I’ve hidden in my chest. We could now do all the things that we always wanted to, but never dared. I’m all yours, your Soul Siren.”
On the pleasing and catchy “Do & Be“, Bloom urges us to just live our lives as simply and honestly as possible, keeping in touch with the real world and the natural beauty around us, and not overthink everything: “Sleepers should be dreamers, oh i know It’s so obvious it drives me crazy.” The colorful and whimsical video she made for the song showcases her creativity and playfulness.
“Atlas Cassandra” has a rather dark spiritual vibe, with Bloom sounding like a high priestess as she croons against a dramatic and mysterious backdrop of tinkling xylophone, somber drumbeats and soaring strings. The captivating “Rock, Plant & Animal” is a beautiful, uplifting tribute to earth and nature. She explained her inspiration for the song: “I wrote this song for my children, about this living Earth I love so dearly, and all the precious life upon it. I believe everything in this world has a living essence, a soul, and all is connected. We are all One – Rock, Plant and Animal.” (You can read my detailed review here.)
The exuberant anthem “Animal Spirit” was written in 2018, and in a sense could be considered Bloom’s theme song. It expresses her philosophy – her inherent ‘animal spirit’ if you will – of her reverence for earth and all living things, and how she chooses to conduct her life on this planet, promoting respect for life in all its myriad forms: “I won’t stop, I’ll never give up. I’m inside this eternal movement. I will not be held back by darkness or heaviness. Never, never cease to be driven by the heart, by the art, the magic and the marvellous.”
“Pale Moon, Golden Light” is a tender and languid ballad, with a more stripped-down sound consisting of only piano and light percussion. Bloom softly croons to a boy with assurances that her love can calm the savage beast in him: ” What’s the matter with you boy? Madness strikes under your window with a sword. Climbing up & down the ladder. Who is there? I’m there. / Could it be that you’re the one for me?”
The Heart Shall Be Rewarded by the Universe is an utterly enchanting and eccentric little album that’s unlike anything I’ve ever heard by any other artist. Bloom de Wilde is a brilliant, creative and innovative artist, though I can imagine that her style and sound might not appeal to everyone. But if you like music that’s colorful, avant garde and thoroughly unique, you will enjoy this album.
1. MARIA – Two Feet (3)
2. LEVEL OF CONCERN – twenty one pilots (1)
3. CAUTION – The Killers (2)
4. DELETER – Grouplove (5)
5. LOST IN YESTERDAY – Tame Impala (6)
6. YOUR LOVE (DÉJÀ VU) – Glass Animals (7)
7. BLACK MADONNA – Cage the Elephant (4) 20th week on list
8. HELL N BACK – Bakar (8)
9. LEMON DROP – Absofacto (10)
10. IF NOT FOR THE FIRE – The Million Reasons (11)
11. BAD DECISIONS – The Strokes (9)
12. HOW WILL I REST IN PEACE IF I’M BURIED BY A HIGHWAY?// – Kenny Hoopla (13)
13. LAY YOUR HEAD ON ME – Major Lazer featuring Marcus Mumford (15)
14. BLACK & WHITE LOVE – Beating Hearts Club (17)
15. LONELINESS FOR LOVE – lovelytheband (12)
16. BE AFRAID – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (18)
17. EXPECTATIONS – Katie Pruitt (19)
18. HONEYBEE – The Head and the Heart (20)
19. HALF YOUR AGE – Joywave (16)
20. BLINDING LIGHTS – The Weeknd (14)
21. LIVING IN A GHOST TOWN – The Rolling Stones (23)
22. PSYCH FILM – Strangely Alright (24)
23. SOMEONE ELSE – Rezz & Grabbitz (25)
24. STRANGERS – Mt. Joy (27)
25. FIRE – Black Pumas (28)
26. HALLUCINOGENICS – Matt Maeson (29)
27. SHANGRI-LA – EOB (22)
28. HEAVEN IS HEART – Jaded Jane (30)
29. SHINE A LITTLE LIGHT – The Black Keys (21)
30. REAL LONG TIME – White Reaper (N)
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 