Record Review //
Suplington
"After Life"
(Youngbloods)
$18 //
Edition of 300 //
A slow hum shines through like the light with this slight static hiss behind it, which really makes me think this is a cassette. It's just radiating through like the sun. Swirls of this bliss come through on a loop now, like keys climbing and falling. It sounds like a movie projector playing and then quieter dings like a triangle come in. A ringing now resonates and seemingly drifts off to sea.
Water can be heard now, like waves coming up on the shore. The sharpness of strings, like a violin perhaps, comes through behind the sounds of the ocean and this just feels peaceful. It's odd but I've read this question before as to whether you would rather die by drowning or being on fire and drowning would be much more peaceful it would seem, right? This does have that feeling of meditation to it as well.
It sounds like a flute has entered the song and it feels quite dramatic. Quieter dings start the next song- like bells- and you can hear the birds, which makes sense since this song is called "Seagulls In Your Mind" (though there are songs where I often feel like I hear seagulls and the title says nothing about them) A steady drumming behind this, like a bongo, and the water sounds continue with the glass chimes.
This creates such an uplifting feeling and as it is near water, I imagine either being in the ocean itself or on the beach, it can be rather soothing while listening. We go into a trance now with some howls and cries before it feels like a spaceship taking off. Pianos just seem to takeover the entire song now and it's gone from a more resting, peaceful place to something much more angelic and almost church-like in its delivery. It's so ambient yet not what you'd expect because it has this added layer of energy to it.
While it feels like we're almost rewinding the track now these deep, dark strings like a cello come through and this just feels relaxing but also can put you on the edge of your seat at the same time. Magical bells are ringing through the background and in some ways, yes, this seems to take me away from that beach I had in my mind before and that is okay. I'm not sure where we are now, but it feels like a choose-your-own-adventure for when you find yourself lost in the music.
On the flip side we can start with a quieter ohm and then a flute comes in which reminds me of LOTR for some reason. A hum drone is here as well and it just feels so peaceful still. I think the magic in this record is that you could listen to it if you needed to calm down and fall asleep at night, but at the same time you could put it on first thing in the morning to get your day starting off right. It's just this ambient drone now with slight alterations.
At some point too though this song just feels like it could drop off into something new wave. There is just a calm here though, as we can feel the music rising and falling. There is a slipping away sound on "Sore Eyes" as we also seem to get into this racket of strings but not ever in that loud of a way-- it's all so calm, so minimal. As it squeaks through now there is a rumble of percussion where it just builds and builds. A darker string comes through now at what feels like the end of everything.
The final song begins with more of a drum/cymbal type of feel as the tones blister through. There is a sadness in here as well and whenever I hear this and know it is the last song on the record I feel a sense of closure. As fast as it can seemingly build and create these sonic loops it just as easily can drop back down and float off into space, its last resting place.
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