Daniel de la Peña aka Jester Tears is a twenty-year-old musician from Spain who recently released Dead, already EP. The album is entirely instrumental built on basic synth sounds and electronic beats.
I was reading about the album and the artist said that ““Dead, already” talks about only one thing: getting to know the reality, and realizing how it never matches your expectations. In other words, it's about maturing.” I have to admit I’m confused how anyone could interpret that considering there are no words to the music except on the last song where the words are minimal. The production is rudimentary throughout the EP giving it an almost nostalgic ’80s feel. There are a lot of sine waves layered on top of each other but Peña rarely does things like filter sweeps, LFO manipulation, etc. Up first is the title track which is a sad, melancholy piece built on a couple of basic chord progressions. It sets a mood like a lonely robot is staring into the cosmos. The energy increases exponentially with “I saw a lake on the moon” which contains a 4/4 beat and arpeggiated synths and multiple pads. You could make an argument that there is some influences from M83 and Fuck Buttons. “It is looking at you” is a cosmic, sounding ambient piece while “Patienly waiting” has a playful type of quality to it that was enjoyable. He closes with “the wolf’s song.” I'm not sure what was going on with the vocals. It seemed like he was whispering and aggressive at the same time. Peña seems to be in the embryonic stage of his development and still has a way to go to compete with similar artists like M83, Ben Lukas Boysen, Greg Haines, etc. On that note I think he has some potential and encourage him to continue to develop his arsenal of sounds and further his abilities as a producer.
8 Comments
Enrik Fereth
2/2/2018 02:05:24 am
"I’m confused how anyone could interpret that considering there are no words to the music". What is this?
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Phelps Sad
2/2/2018 08:11:46 am
I couldn't agree more on what you said Enrick Fereth. What is music if not a way to express a message and transmit feelings. I sincerely think that Jester Tears does an awesome job with these pieces and I encourage him to keep enjoying music and bringing more albums.
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2/2/2018 10:19:30 am
Hi Phelps Sad !
Manny Josue
2/2/2018 08:38:31 am
That doesn't seem to be what the author is saying at all. The musician is trying to convey a specific theme in this case "maturing". How is that conveyed without words. Instrumental music can of course convey emotion and it can mean something through interpretation but good luck trying to tell a narrative
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Perro Negro
2/2/2018 09:20:14 am
I disagree. Of course instrumental music can tell a narrative. Listen to Mussorgsky's Night at Bald Peak, Smetana's Moldava or Deep Purple's April (they only sing an anecdotic bit at the end) for example, it's impossible not to understand a narrative behind them. It takes no luck to succeed it, but experience and work. I completely agree with the previous comments for the author says "considering there are no words", so I think that's what he finds troubling in finding the meaning. I think it's more like the significance behind the music, specially for the musician, than a matter of words and narrative, but you know, it's very subjective. I can feel some certain ambience and intentions in the music in this ep that I could relate to maturing, like the absence of cheesy effects for example. 2/2/2018 09:52:42 am
Hi!! 2/2/2018 10:30:15 am
Hi Enrik Fereth!
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Clara Rodrigo
2/2/2018 08:07:03 am
Completely agree with Enrik! I like the atmosphere this music creates, and the simplicity of it shows that not all artists rely on things like filter sweeps to create a unique sound.
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