Amazing
5
By rabidsquirrel117
(Lengthy track by track review at the bottom)
The thing that really makes me love this album is the incredible depth - musically and emotionally, and in a different way for each track. It doesn't grab your attention, as so much music these days tries to do - it simply invites you into an experience. Apparat's use of unusual instruments in electronic music (cello, lounge drumsets, acoustic guitar, vibraphone, incomprehensible voice) blend in incredibly well with the electronic sound and make a unique experience as well, and the endings stay ambiguous (which I think is awesome). I have fallen in love with each and every track on this album at different times, and as a whole the album is breathtaking. I can't recommend any one song, they are all incredible. If you really don't want to get the whole album, then I suggest you get fractals part 1. Then when you listen to it and love it, get the rest :)
Track by track:
1. Not a Number: The iTunes review describes this as one of the most humanistic songs ever recorded. That might sound weird, until you listen to it. I think it is the most... caring... song I've ever heard (really, it's hard to describe). It requires serious listening to really gut to the heart of it. It has orchestra bells, a droning cello and violin (I believe) and a vibraphone - like synth (along with other synthesizers), and is completely instrumental. It has a shift about 2/3 through that feels to me like an ascension into pure compassion. Truly an incredible piece of music, though it might sound strange the first time you listen.
2. Hailin from the Edge: Definitely a striking contrast to the first track, this features a beat, clear(ish) vocals, and a growling bass. One of the most directly appealing songs. It also features some electronic manipulation of breathing. It sounds a bit forced, but I think that was the intention of the song ("on edge") It ends with a strangely emotional cello, adding to the mystique of the album.
3. Useless Information: Picture yourself on Mars, walking somewhere with a purpose, maybe pausing once in a while to look up at the stars and get your bearings. That's what this song is. Probably the "coolest" song on the album. And yes, it has strings :)
4. Limelight: This song has the coolest vocal manipulation I've ever heard, a massively deep beat, and is almost hypnotizing. An unexpected electric guitar entrance adds a huge amount of tension to the song. This song isn't necessarily epic, but it seems to be a song ABOUT being epic, if that makes any sense.
5. Holdon: I guess this would be the one I love the least, though I still love it. It is similar to Hailin from the Edge in instrumentally composition, but is different musically. I love when he sings "as I proceed... shamelessly..." It ends with an interesting keyboard chord.
6/7. Fractals: This has to be my favorite. It makes me feel relaxed, joyful, and confident, and puts me in a state of bliss. EVERY time I listen to it. The incredibly simple melody has such an incredible depth to it. And I just LOVE the eighth-note-triplet fills!!! Part one has a definite beat, and then builds up to the start of part two, which then becomes more delicate, passionate, and reflective. Part two ends in a very weird way, with a sort of growling string bass that shifts chromatically, if you can imagine that. It sounded bizarre the first time I heard it, but I've come to love it. It feels like you're standing still and going a million miles per hour at the same time.
8. Birds: If you're listening on headphones, the beginning (and end) of this one might make your head hurt xD The lyrics to this one are great, and this song has the first "reflective beat" on the album.
9. Arcadia: I didn't like this the first time I heard it, but all the little stuff Apparat puts in it (acoustic guitar!) make it an incredible listening experience, and the lyrics are incredibly insightful. "What's the point on waiting for life to come? ...Your plans collapse, run off or fall apart..." And I LOVE the part where the beat drops out for a second and then comes back :)
10. You Don't Know Me: Well this one was described by someone as "filling your whole earspace" and I think that's accurate. It's also probably the most... passionate... song on the album. This one really has to be experienced, I can't describe it. I love the cello though.
11. Headup: This might be considered to be simplistic by some, or weak by others - I like it, personally. The lyrics are comforting, and I love the shift about halfway through, it feels like flying. And I love the lyrics at the end: "No one can put you down, you've gotta headup, headup"
12. Over and Over: Ok, I lied. This one's my favorite. Well, I guess it depends on my mood. This is the most mellow song on the entire album, featuring an acoustic-sounding drumset and reflective lyrics. "How long? where to? What for? What truth?" and it evolves as the song progresses, until you get to "over and over again, questioning..." This may seem like filler on first listen, but I get the most out of this song. And the ending is actually the home note, unlike the other ambiguous endings, making the album feel complete.
13. Like Porcelain: This track is the oddball stuck on the end. The beginning sounds as close as you can get to a synth made to sound like water. It's amazing. It later features an ambiguous xylophone-like sound. It then has 4 minutes of complete silence, followed by an earsplitting, dramatic, grating, and truly epic climax that makes for the most unique album ending I've ever heard. Sometimes I just sit through the whole 4 minute silence period just to get the sense of the song, and the last bit feels like a feeling that comes quickly and disappears even faster.
Overall, just get the darn album, it's well worth the $10.
