Mike Price is an artist I’ve been familiar with for a couple of years now. He has released CALIGVLA and AVGVSTVS both which I have reviewed for Divide and Conquer. Price, for the most part, has made hip-hop inspired music. His latest however entitled YOUTH is different. Price explains “This album was inspired by, well… Youth. Prince, MJ, ’80s synthpop, dreampop, new wave, ’80s pop, ’80s anime theme music, NES gaming music… Stuff like that. The kids, in the backdrop of the album, are a reminder of the innocence we all possessed as children. This album is meant to be just a fun time.”
The album opens with “Notelpmis” and you do hear what sounds like kids right off the bat. This song is a little trippy and ambient. It is orchestral and combines with synths and serves as a warm introduction. I really liked the song and it made me feel still. Drums are introduced on “Anna Jean” along with synth-like lead elements. He mentioned NES and this song did feel nostalgic to me. The sounds felt like a video game I was playing back in the ’80s. “Ultra-Extra” still has a chip-tune like flavor but the energy is increased. A fast kinetic beat is combined with sub bass sounds, whirling airy leads that get more layers as it progresses. “Liquid Crystal Display” is one of the highlights. It’s got inventive percussion elements, atmospheric qualities and memorable melodies. There was something about this song that reminded me of Prince. “Milk Bowl” is just smooth and another highlight. I loved the groove on this song. The song is subtle and I recommend some headphones so you can notice what’s happening with reverb tails and melodies. This song felt very dreamlike. The album gets further and further away from the 8-bit aesthetic with “Project: Sunshine.” In fact “Project: Sunshine” felt like the second part to “Milk Bowl” but he seems to utilize more filters here and approaches it from a slightly different angle. The mood gets more upbeat with “All Alone” and this song I felt was probably more inspired by Prince. It’s a fluid song with no need for a hook but still has a lot of changes. “Pink Strings” contains some Japanese which felt more like an interlude and transitional track. As the album progressed I thought there were a number of highlights. There were some solid melodies on “Tomlin,” some of which are dissonant. The darker ’80s synth vibe on “The Sweet'' got my attention as did the whimsical and fantasy inspired “London Peach.” Price cleverly uses what sounds like water on “Water Games” which was oddly calming to me. I think it was the bubbles I was picturing. I love it when artists get out of their comfort zone and attempt different styles and approaches. Price is in top form and is on par with some of his hip-hop inspired albums. I hope he continues to unlock other areas of his talent because there might be a lot more to discover.
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Critique/insightWe are dedicated to informing the public about the different types of independent music that is available for your listening pleasure as well as giving the artist a professional critique from a seasoned music geek. We critique a wide variety of niche genres like experimental, IDM, electronic, ambient, shoegaze and much more.
Are you one of our faithful visitors who enjoys our website? Like us on Facebook
Archives
May 2024
|