Concept albums, these sweeping works of music that tell a story across its runtime, are one of my personal favorite things. The experience of listening to a full album is one that has fallen by the wayside, with the advent of playlists, digital singles, and even surprise albums. As such, when a work comes along that not only recommends that it be consumed as one, but almost demands it be so, it’s an exciting prospect. Such is the case with Baldocaster’s newest album, Mirage. As author Darren deToni wrote about the record, “Mirage is for the eyes, Baldocaster is for the ears,” and this album is a treat for all the senses.
“Canyons” starts things off with a later Eighties sound and a dance-worthy lead riff. The backbone of “Curse This Castle” is a triplet bass line that the lead is able to branch off of beautifully. The final lead line in this track soars on high, departing from the rest of the instrumentation as the track fades. “Black Dove” is a brief interlude that feels like music from Silent Hill or Resident Evil, as it harkens back to early PSone-era soundtracks.
Off the back of the interlude comes “Before Dawn,” with bright lead synths over a darker, synthpop-feeling rhythm and bass. It flirts with darkness and dreariness, without assuming anything as it does. “Mirrors” is a downtempo jam with some fun lead synths working for it, and I could have used more of it than the sub-two and a half minutes we get on the album. “Shifting Sands” is another ominous interlude, again feeling like it wouldn’t be out of place in a survival horror game.
“Featherweight,” as advertised, floats on air. The leads sing, especially when doubled by a second synth, and the whole track feels like a walk along the skyline. The pace is picked up some with “Against the Grain,” with winding synth lines and a retro motif. “Traversal” has almost lyrical leads in its verses, allowing for a composition feel for a production sort of track. The addition of piano under the lead synths adds a bit of weight to the track, as it transitions from a classic sound to a more modern one without warning. The closer “All This Time” has a strange sound to its intro, before hitting its main line with chords galore and talk box doubling several lines.
Baldocaster has created an experience of sound with Mirage, the whole affair painting a picture with no words needed. There’s a great deal of atmosphere and shine created here, and it’s well worth a listen for fans of synth-driven music.
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