Certain industries rely on the help of one another within to succeed, and music certainly falls into that category. When Klayton (Celldweller) heard a remix of one of his songs from Bret (Blue Stahli), it wasn’t long before he was recruited to the FiXT label. When you listen to any of his music, it’s no wonder as to why, either. His work is eclectic in sound and style, creating scenarios in your head that create a sense of wonder in your head.
The Antisleep Volumes have served as Bret’s instrumental albums, ranging from heavy guitars to upbeat EDM. Volume 4’s first chapter initially launched in 2015 with six songs. This one doubles the amount while containing the original six. For the sake of this review, we’re going to look at the album as a whole, not just the six new songs that are on it.
When it comes to an instrumental album, there is only one purpose that it holds; there are no lyrics, nor should there be. Each song has to bring its own energy and performance devoid of a familiar voice to tie the album together. You either enjoy the album, or you search for the song that sounds most like the one that made you fall in love with the artist in the first place. Neon Sunset is the perfect opening following this ideology.
The album starts with vocals and is soon backed by a groove that sounds straight out of an 80s score, perhaps during the opening of a movie in a car driving downtown as the actor credits are shown. If you’re familiar with Madeon, that’s a pretty decent comparison for sound. One of the new songs near the end of the album, Futureproof, is the only other one that really touches a similar sound. While not so much 80s, it makes use of vocals in a very strong EDM form, with a definite focus on sounding electronic over the rest of the album. Opposed to a single voice this time around, there’s a secondary one that combats it. Note that these voices are used as instruments, as there aren’t any lyrics.
The song Headshot takes things in a very aggressive, adrenaline pumping direction that you may expect to hear from Celldweller’s End of an Empire album. Think of how hardcore you thought Fight On! from Final Fantasy VII was whenever you fought a boss – this could be an easy replacement for that sort of situation in a game. Reload has a similar feel, this time with a slow start that builds with percussion and guitars, reminiscent of something you might hear while playing Doom. The breakdown about halfway through allows for the heavy bits to really flourish in the second half.
The third song that fits into the heavier side of the album is Car Chase Club Action. It’s immediately arresting with its staccato opening and very apt of its name as you listen. Picture a chase/getaway that begins in a nightclub along the lines of John Wick. A myriad of bodies being shot up as our hero makes his way through the club, which eventually leads to the target fleeing in a car with our protagonist in hot pursuit. Obviously these scenes need a bit of breathing room, so the song slows down for our hero to get in a car and head up the parking structure, with the song’s climax happening as he drives off the top of the building and lands on the street right next to his target. Trust me, that’s what you’ll see as you listen.
The album also likes to have fun, as seen with Secret Agent Business. You’d expect to hear this in a spy movie that may not take itself too seriously. It’d also go VERY well with Spy Chameleon… It has all the horns and guitar riffs that you think of when you think of spy movies – you know the ones I’m talking about. One of the more mellow songs that sounds like it belongs in something like an ice level from Donkey Kong Country is Three Piece Suit. The juxtaposition of the calming bass riffs with the upbeat tempo is a lot of fun to listen to, and instills a sense of calm. This is easily my favorite from the album.
There are a few songs on the album that sound like something you’ve heard on the radio a few too many times. Red Carpet Rush is reminiscent of club remix fodder, and is catchier than it has any right to be. Dirty Down and Rumbleshaker both sound like the instrumental parts you’d hear from The Black Keys. Dirty Down being the more pop-centric of the two, while Rumbleshaker features a crunchy guitar and clappable percussion. Strangblack is the shortest song on the album, coming in at just over a minute long, with a beach boardwalk feel to it. If summer had a song, it would be this.
The album comes to an end with Lightspeed Combat. As the name implies, this song flies with a fast BPM. This is another song that would fit very well in a video game, perhaps something like Dyad, as I just see tunnels of obstacles as you fly through it at light speed.
The album stretches all over the place, and it’s hard not to feel a sense of wonder with how much it offers in terms of content. Nothing ever overstays its welcome, as the songs say what they need to and bugger off as quickly as they came. Most of the songs last between 2 and 3 minutes, and it’s plenty for what they are. If you find that you have musical ADD, Antisleep Volume 4 is perfect for length and genre. If you’ve never listened to Blue Stahli before, give this a listen – it won’t take long, and you’re bound to find at least one song that clicks.
9 out of 10
Pros:
- Variation of Sound
- Fun and Upbeat
Cons:
- Radio Songs too Familiar
Antisleep Vol. 04 was created by Blue Stahli under the FiXT label. It went on presale August 11th, and will be available on August 25th, 2017. The album was provided to us for review. If you’d like to see more of Bret, check out the official site.
Here at GBG we use a rating method that you are more than likely familiar with – a scale of 1 to 10. For clarification, we intend on using the entire scale: 1-4 is something you should probably avoid paying for; 5-7 is something that is worth your time, but probably not at full price; 8-10 is a great album that you can feel confident about buying. If you have any questions or comments about how we rate music, please let us know.
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