Music Review - Sungazer, Vol. 1
Sungazer, Vol. 1 by Sungazer (or more aptly Sungazer, Volume 1, if you couldn't guess already - I also found it uncapitalized in places, so I guess 'sungazer vol. 1' is an apt name too...) is Sungazer's first release back in July of 2014: an EP with five songs included. A list of the songs is below:
- Sequence Start
- Dream of Mahjong
- Ether
- Level One
- I Walk Alone
This nu jazz collaboration between bassist Adam Neely and drummer Shawn Crowder takes retro, 8-bit musings and blows it up into progressive electronic jazz of epic proportions. vol. 1 is only 10 minutes long in total, and vol. 2 is only 17 minutes long, but the musical journey of these ten tracks covers more ground than most albums ever achieve.
Overall, the EP contains three separate artists, Sungazer's Adam Neely and Shawn Crowder (you may recognize Adam Neely from his YouTube channel), and Justina Maria Soto, who I believe is Jae Soto (can't be bothered to google it, haha). Maria Soto has worked with Adam Neely too in the reharmonization/interpolation thing of Adele's 'Hello', and I'm a huge fan of her. Her voice works amazingly well in I Walk Alone, but we're not up to that yet. I believe the brass in Dream of Mahjong is from the brass group Sungazer worked with on their India tour with Shubh Saran, but it could always just be a random sample - this is also by no means a definitive list of the artists that were involved in the production of this EP, but I'm not bothered to scour the internet to find one. Moving on to the review of each song:
Sequence Start
The title already hints that it's the opening piece, and it really does sound like a sequence starting, maybe some sort of video game sequence or something to do with a rocket launch. Although, wasn't expecting that piano to start of the whole album. The treble-boosted piano, and kind of bit-crushed percussion (omitting the bass drum for that ttrrreeeebbbllleeee) really adds a bit of a closed off feel. Then that bass drum that hits out of NOWHERE at around nine seconds in provides a sweet relief and leads on the drop. I'm not normally a fan of songs that jump straight to the middle of it, but it really starts the EP off with a bang.
Now, the infamous bassline. It's so impressive when you see it performed with video - as an instrumentalist, I understand tactile memory, but that's on a whole other level! This kind of chromatic-esque bassline is paraphrased in I Walk Alone, providing a nice closing, but as one of the first things you hear in the EP, it really captivates your attention. I'm not too sure about the cymbals here, but they're quiet so it doesn't bring down my overall opinion on the song. Sungazer often uses such simple rhythms, but in the context of the song you can barely even tell what time signature it's in. This whole start almost feels like it's just in 1/4. The chord progression is a bit odd because it's hard to tell what the tonic is at first, but I really like the relatively static, unchanging feel the synth lead has broken by the occasional higher note. Quickly finishing at around thirty seconds in, the next part comes along.
This section is very much 8-bit, with a simple synth complimenting the drum work. It's simple here once more, and I can't really comment on the rhythm. The melody is basic, but fits the 8-bit style and works with the original chord progression. I'm pretty sure it was hinted at at the very start with the piano, but it's a bit different here. The very rough guitar is a bit out of place in my opinion, maybe it should have came a bit later, but I understand why they added it in - to provide a bit of a callback to the rest of the song, so that the 8-bit section doesn't feel out of place itself.
This is why shortly after the main theme returns once more. The syncopated drum beats leading into the second drop kind of thing got me jamming. The sound effect at around 52-53 seconds in is odd, but it feels like it's in the perfect place; a bit of a hollow ALMOST steel drum sound. The very reverberated synth lead playing wonky arpeggios at 0:57 is a welcome addition, and foreshadows the synth lead in the latter half of the song. After the wonky arpeggios, a bit of a variated chord progression comes in with a few more higher notes in the synth chops. I can't say I'm the biggest fan of the downbeat omission at around 1:06, but it's not out of place or anything.
Oh, 1:07. The synth hear just soars above the rest of the instruments, and provides a nice theremin-esque contrast to the harsh drums, synth and bass below. There's really not too much different from this section to the rest of the theme besides that, and it repeats once more. Though, the tension perfectly culminates at the second repeat and it almost feels like you're hearing a different thing.
The end draws into the beginning, creating a satisfying loops with the treble-boosted piano, this time with a bit of a synth doubling. I'm not normally a fan of unresolved endings, but as the first song to an EP it's okay with me - and it's executed SO well.
Overall, this piece is a solid 9/10 from me.
Dream of Mahjong
Now, I don't get the title of this piece. Mahjong is an exceptionally popular Chinese kind of board-game/tile-game type beat, and it's not anywhere near electronic, developed in the 1800s, it's anything but that. Perhaps it's some sort of oxymoron? Though, it's still a bloody amazing song from start to finish, and one of if not my favourite song from this EP. The first part has sparse drums and a bare-bones electronic synth that feels awfully familiar, finished by a dial tone. The dial tone is quite a common theme in electronic songs, but I think it's executed really well here.
This next part is great, relatively tensionless but exciting nonetheless. Notwithstanding the reverbed last note of each phrase, the theme is relatively plucky, and the drum beats sparse (yet effective). The thick synth riser provides a real broad and ALMOST dream-like vibe to it, but I still can't really tie it in to the title. Though, in a world of random titles, why single out one that at least sounds epic as hell.
YEAH!! The treble-full trumpet with mute here really helps as a relief from the first half-drop (I wouldn't say it's intense enough for a full-out drop), but also a build-up to the next drop. It's full of pretty unresolved chords and phrases, and the once more closed-off atmosphere is perfectly resolved soon, though the energy is carried on by the pseudo-random synth background. The blast of sound around 0:43 helps to resolve some tension but also to build up tension to and foreshadow the return of the theme (toujours returns for my Debussy fans). The even sparser moment at around 1:05 really brings the brass to the forefront, and as a wind player, I'm here for it.
Now to 1:15 - love this part. The tempo isn't any slower and there's no metric modulation at play here, but it feels really spaced out and unbelievably slow. I think the drums might be outlining half the beats, and also the contrast from the lively before section to now could cause it to feel comparatively slower, but however it's executed I like the effect. The glitch effect at 1:19 is also super well executed, you almost don't even notice it's there. It's also in a bit of a different context with a different chord progression outlined on the bass.
I'm not too sure I like the guitar/bass solo (with Adam Neely it always sounds like a guitar but it might well be his bass). It's a bit too sparse for my liking, but at least it's short. The background is actually pretty nice, but also simple. Honestly, the dial tone thing goes for just a bit too long but that's just a nitpick of mine.
OK WOAH. That drop goes hard as hell. The distorted bass synth and glitch effects almost ruining the section in the best way possible just, shakes you. It's so great, the only drawback being the slightly-too-basic-for-my-liking drums. It's a shame it repeats only twice, but either way, it's the EP's longest song. There's just so much energy behind the repeat of the brass section; I am so here for that drumline. The super fast cymbal type beat (I'm not percussionist) is so energetic, and the whole thing is just fast arpeggio synth outline the brass chords. The brass reaches a crescendo to the end, and it fades out, becoming a lot more sparse, ending once more slightly unresolved. I understand why it's unresolved though, as it ends with the main theme, tying it to the start like Sequence Start.
This piece is a 9.75/10 for me, one of my favorites by far.
Ether
If you know me, you know I'm a sucker for some fast 5/8. My earliest pieces always tried to experiment with 5/8 (not well, at least), and I've always had an infatuation with it, my favourite use of a fast 5/8 being Sugar Cane by Nubiyan Twist ft. Nubiya Brandon. Though, it's not as fast to be quintuplet swing: a bit of a disappointment knowing that Shawn Crowder is a sucker for some quintuplet/septuplet swing progressive jazz.
The piece starts fading in with a muted bass ukulele, and then a riser brings it into the main melody, once more roughly ten seconds in. The part sits between two chords, oscillating every four bars (if Sungazer notated it as 5/4, they deserve to die, and they'd be wrong, and I'd cry), a satisfying, tonic and leading note pairing. The instrumentation here is unsurprising for a Sungazer song, with bass, repetitive melody, soaring synths, and light, airy drums.
Bit of a cop out using a 3/8 beat with two quaver rest in the next part, but I do like the vibe it's going for. It's kind of almost bouncing, with a lopsided feel. The deep, resounding bass is a good contrast to the upper register of the bass ukulele. The altered pitched percussion playing such a high and sparse melody is very peaceful, if a bit cliché. The little percussion is very well utilized throughout Ether, though it's a bit too soft for my liking at times. The return of the theme once more is so satisfying, even if it's pretty much an unchanged repeat of the introduction.
It's a shame 0:56 has to exist. I'm not a fan of it at all. The background is a bit boring, but that would be okay if the solo was any good. Respect for incorporating the echo effect into the melody, but I think that a guitar solo with this much distortion was so out of place, and it's just a bit to sparse for my liking with random notes at times. Thank God it's only short. Though the harmonics on the bass ukulele are really nice to hear.
Back to the 3/8-two-quaver-rest beat, and it's only slightly different. The repetitive bass really shines through, and I really like the panning on the bass ukulele. You really need to listen to this piece with headphones on. At 1:39 the theme comes back in, but the percussion and bass drop out, leading it to sound like a repeat of the first section, which it likely is. The soaring synth is back, and there's still only two oscillating chords. I am a massive fan of the drums coming back in with the steady pulse, even if it is quite generic for Sungazer standards.
Now, I'd be happy with ONLY 1:42 onwards being notated as 5/4, as it modulates to that, with the main theme being replaced by a very nice piano bit. I find the piano bit the highlight of the whole song, and I wish it was highlighted a bit more. The cymbals in the drums are a bit shorter than I'd like for the flowy, sluggish synth soaring above. I think the synth is a bit oddly executed, but with a little bit of fine-tuning I'd really like it - nothing wrong with the notes played, as well. The bass shines through here too and I'm a huge fan of the simple bassline here. The cymbals at the end are a bit overwhelming though, and it's left once again unresolved, with the bassline getting louder and louder while the synth fades out. Adam Neely kind of carried this one.
I'd rate Ether a 9.25/10; I've always loved this song, but the solo really brings it down.
Level One
This song started out as one of my more disliked songs from Sungazer, but it's really grown on me. Ask me a while ago and I probably would've given it a 7/10 (a good score, just weak compared to the rest). So, Level One. Very electronic, almost 8-bit kind of style, with a focus a bit more on melody than rhythm.
I'm not sure about the first second, I feel like the song could really do without it, but it doesn't really bring down the song. The short intro is actually quite nice, very much cementing the fact that this song will be in a fast 6/8 (it's not as noticeable elsewhere); it vaguely reminds me of the later Ostinato by Sungazer as well. I really like the almost swung simple synth lead, and it's at the perfect tempo so the drums really shine through.
I've always liked the bassline to Level One, probably even more than the infamous Sequence Start one. While Sequence Start is a lot more complex, Level One feels really refined and perfectly in place in the song. It's less virtuosic, but I think it shows greater musical knowledge. The drums compliment the bassline so well, too. I love the little moment 25 seconds in with the synth returning for a slightly dark-ish break in the bassline. Once again, there's a very quiet soaring kind of synth here.
The main theme returns but on a guitar/bass instead of synth this time, and it's a welcome change. The timbre of the instrument really compliments the tune. The almost hollow-sounding cymbal is also a really nice addition. Now, I've never been a fan of the Level One vocal sample. When it comes in, I really like the guitar/bass part that's doubled with either fifths or sixths, I can't really tell. But that vocal sample is just so annoying. It fits the theme and all, and I can see how people like it, but especially the rising in pitch and frequency really annoys me. It's cool how it's panned between ears though. I like the percussion and the exceptionally fast high arpeggios there, though.
THAT LICK! I really just like the sudden guitar/bass lick at around 58 seconds in, it's so nice how the background just stops and it plays as a transition between the vocal sample part and the main theme. The theme just repeats, almost exactly the same as the first time around, but there's a lot less quiet high soaring synth throughout the whole part. I'm not too sure about that riser/siren kind of thing beginning at around 1:10, but it's not as bad as the vocal sample. If I'm not mistaken, there's some sidechaining here. I really like the bass drum and I just think the ending is one of the better parts of the whole song.
Though, the proper ending feels a bit out of place. It just kind of comes out of nowhere, and even though it sounds nice and references video games of an era passed, it comes in a bit too early in my opinion. The vocal sample isn't out of place here, though.
If it wasn't for the vocal sample, I'd rate this a bit higher, but it's an 8.75/10 from me.
I Walk Alone | ft. Justina Maria Soto
Funny thing is, I never used to like I Walk Alone. The start was a bit out of place and turned me off, and then when the vocals came in I just left the song and never came back to it. Lucky I did, because the second half is so amazing; I used to just listen to this song on repeat, and it's probably my favourite song from the whole EP. There's almost too much here to dissect, so I'll be a bit briefer with this one. No comment on the lyrics, that's not the highlight of the song.
I am so in love with the drums in this song. Though, I can't say the same about the melody at the start of the song, and the vocal sample that goes with it. There's not too much to say about the first part of this song; the chorus is great nonetheless, but it pales in comparison to the second chorus.
There's not much I can say for the second chorus - it really just left me speechless. The use of the tessitura is unexpected from a group as avant garde as Sungazer, seeing as it is insanely popular in mainstream pop music, but I think the added speed really works to benefit the use of it. I love the sidechaining effect with the vox chop and tessitura, though. You really just have to hear this to appreciate it.
Another unresolved end, though I think it suits this piece better than any other one. It ends on the supertonic, as close as it can get to being resolved, so it's not too unsettling, and a solid end to Sungazer, Vol. 1.
My favourite song on this EP for sure, and maybe my favourite song in general; a 10/10 from me.
Summary
Sungazer, Vol. 1 is my favourite EP so far from Sungazer, and I think I've explained why. Threshold is so amazing though, so stay tuned for a review of that. Keep your ears out for the new Sungazer album coming in 10 or 11 days, depending on whether or not you're Australian like me. October 11!!!
The average score for this EP was 9.35, but I think the overall EP deserves a rating a bit higher. I'd give Sungazer, Vol. 1 a: