TranscendNoise

40. David Granström – A Distant Color, Secluded The synth rises, the never-ending grandeur evoking sounds of A distant color, secluded create a cosmic event of sorts. The first tracks, while holding their own, live to end in the closing, 20-minute opus "Waning Moon". Granström is a sound artist obsessed with the inner-workings of sound-synthesis, fine-tuning tones to achieve overarching timbre and using algorithmic processes to structure his patterns and build these tracks as perfectly shaped pieces. Going with harmonics that enable the sonic intricacies of what the universe must feel like, the push and pull of symmetries and asymmetrical listening as human beings find its greatest expression in this LP. Intriguingly enough, Granström never feels like he´s simply letting a computer do his thing or is reliant on the perfection of numbers and patterns, there is warmth in his production, the sonic life, dwelling within your senses and slowing unraveling into motionless, b...

20. Taylor Swift – 1989 When thinking about today’s pop-sensations, there isn´t too much to look up to or be proud of. In general, our pop singers are still not self-reliant figures and formulas exercised by songwriters and producers. The music of the likes of Rihanna, Beyonce or Miley Cyrus are conglomerates of others conveying an image befitting the person present, more pressing than expressing. The songstresses for the most part are promoters, looking pretty and/or creating some buzz. That´s it, search for content all you want, but you will only find the lack-thereof. To be clear, Taylor Swift isn´t the realest pop-star ever to walk the earth or do her skills as songwriter stand alone and uninterpreted by others. But if one thing, you can sense that Swift still cares about the message her music gives to the listeners and is even self-conscious of what she represents. Therefore releasing “Shake It Off” and “Blank Space” as singles for 1989 were well thought - out choices....