A Mediocre Pleasantry

A Rather Pleasant Site has come a long way since its inception. We've gone from a heavy focus on content generation to a more lax attitude that focuses more on promotion and marketing. We're far from the professionalism of well known web sites focused on music/lit/game promotion, but still trying to achieve something apart from the typical coalition of writers or a single writer blogging away at a whim.

It's not hard to notice a discrepancy in our goals, mission statement, and actual accomplishments. We aim to be something that simply hasn't been fully conceptualized yet, much less actualized. We claim to focus on independent music, games, and literature, yet our focus is spread unevenly throughout and our interpretation of the word independent can be somewhat hazy at times. Our actual accomplishments seem to amount to little more than odd musings, somewhat intriguing ideas, and disorganized rants in the areas of literature, games, and music respectively. Although I have often wondered at the practical direction of aRPS, it's easy to see it fall apart right here, right now.

I have no intention of abandoning A Rather Pleasant Site. However, I can't afford to delude myself into having priorities that I do not actually have. Ever since I took over from Reogan, I've been trying to formalize who and what we are with a bigger emphasis on logistics. I realize now that this has its benefits, but is not entirely within the spirit of A Rather Pleasant Site as stated within its very title. Our imaginations are filled with thoughts that entertain us and engage us. The way we perceive music, games, and literature is a product of who we are. We like to share this with you because it is amusing--it is pleasant. Unfortunately, limited resources, time, and priorities have left us without many pleasant thoughts to share. The self-induced complexities of day to day life overwhelm our desire to unpredictably pioneer our imaginations in a way that is capable of being conveyed to a reader.

Where do we go from here? This is the question that I'm always left asking. I honestly don't know. I'm still set on moving off the blogger format and into something where content generation is no longer the biggest concern. I want to organize our thoughts so that they are best conveyed to you. We've made commitments. We're not going anywhere. Unfortunately, we've taken that too literally. Let's be pleasantly engaging. It's time to start taking our mediocrity seriously.

We're moving at the speed of a snail right now, but stick around and in a year or two we might actually be in a slightly different place. No matter how long it takes, we'll get the job done. Stay pleasant. Thanks for reading.

Espers-Remastered Version Release as well as Other Related News

This post is probably a month late, but 12 Followers/Meteo Xavier's debut album "Espers", the album that Met and myself had reviewed last summer during our first podcast, has now been remastered and re-released for our enjoyment.  The link to this new version can be found here, so feel free to have a listen.

Currently we are still in the process of creating our second podcast, which is a review of Meteo Xavier's album "Meteocrity" (we had promised to work on a review for it in late 2011, so it is about time, right?).  However, while I have been trying to find the time to work on this podcast with Xanthurian, especially during the last couple of weeks, the project will be on a temporary stand-by on my part for the next month or so while I am away on business.  This podcast will happen, even if it takes another couple months.  We'll need plenty of cooperation, coordination, and time.

We will continue to post updates on the podcast and any other happenings or events as the days go by.  For now though, be patient.  The podcast will come.

This is also twenty-three days late, but I'll say it now.  Happy New Year! We hope to spend this year moving into our own website, releasing a few podcasts, and moving forward in the best way that we can with posting and podcast releases.  I feel honored to be a part of it, so let's make 2013 a memorable and productive year for A Rather Pleasant Site.  

Identity Sequence is Released!

This album is the culmination of a little over 5 years of original work by an artist who has impacted my life to the point that I would not be listening to music right now if not for him (thank you zircon). Please check it out; Identity Sequence has been well worth the wait. True to form, it embraces organica electronica in the context of abstract cyberpunk storytelling. I am proud to say I chipped in a few bucks for the wildly successful Kickstarter that's producing some great results.

We will give this album a full review...

It could take a couple years, but it'll happen; hopefully sooner rather than later.

Story Shards: Samples of Slash

Nyarlathotep sighed as Cthulhu took him into his arms, his tentacles caressing him. "Shall we visit madness?" breathed the priest softly. Nyarlathotep only howled in response as his idiot flute players played amorous tunes.Hitokages claws grazed Red's stomach, and the boy fought back a scream. Any noise and Green might wake. Red didn't think he's appreciate his lover going behind his back with his own pokémon, but then Green never did seem to appreciate Hitokage for the beautiful creature he was. His scales shone in the dim firelight as Red breathed,
"Hitokage! Oh, Hitokage!"

Bozo looked deep into Superbia's flawless blues eyes. "I should probably clean myself up and-"
"No." The tall man's voice was like music, and Bozo drank it in. "Leave the makeup on."
"Well, if you-" Something in his dressing room mirror caught his eye. A grizzled man twirled a sawed off shotgun in the moonlight just beyond the open door.
"Jacques!" Cried Superbia.
The evening had just begun.

Wasn't Something Supposed to Happen?

Well it was... sort of.

If you listened to our first podcast, you probably picked up on the fact that while we're excited for the future of this site, we were also pretty vague. All those changes we talked about, including a regular posting schedule, haven't materialized just yet and I'm here to explain about that... sort of.

It is my understanding that the Meteocrity podcast has been delayed several times now by last minute schedule changes and feeble attempts that aren't worthy of anyone's ears. I do get to hear all the works in progress so rest assured I will breathe down the necks of those doing all the hard work likely to no effect (*sigh*).

The administrators podcast that we also mentioned in the first podcast has been delayed, this time not by me, but it was my fault that we didn't finish all the recording on one day as I didn't really prepare for anything and now only have about 7 or 8 minutes of complete audio. That being said, I'm quite sure this podcast won't run any longer than 40 minutes. In fact, it might end up being more in the 15-20 minute range. Given the current content and the circumstances surrounding the development and production of that podcast, it's probably a good thing it isn't going to be that long.

Finally, about the posting schedule we mentioned in the podcast.

The one where we post once each week.

The one where we maintain a consistent rate of posting.

The one that actually makes things interesting because there is new and better content.

Yeah.

I'm pretty sure that isn't going to go into effect until we're done with the two podcasts we're currently working on as those have come to demand most of the free time we have. Also, I'm under the impression right now that while certain authors could maintain it, others won't be able to. Therefore, I'm holding off on implementing it until the podcasts are released. It might be a while, I'm really hoping it isn't until 2013. Don't get your hopes up, but you'll know it's here when the first post that isn't an announcement shows up.


One last thing.
We now own and control http://www.aratherpleasantsite.org/
So..................
I can say with almost absolute certainty that nothing will be happening on that site for a while, but we've set it up, it's there, but it isn't really anything. We'll let you know when we plan to do a total transition over, even if it takes 5 years, it'll happen.
Since we now own that domain, we also have custom email addresses now. So, if you wish to contact us, please use the new email addresses (-insert author name here-@aratherpleasantsite.org if you wish to contact a specific author, and contact@aratherpleasantsite.org for general questions/submissions/whatever.


That's all for now, just stay tuned for next two podcasts and once those are out, we have no excuse for consistent posting on this site.

The First Ever Official RPS Podcast Released

It's finally done.

I am proud to announce that our massive project that we've been working on is done. Most of the work got done at the end of 2011 (first review was begun on 9/11/2011) and within the last few months, but it's finally coming to fruition.

Individual track reviews from 12 Followers/Meteo Xavier's album, Espers, will be posted in rapid succession following this post.

This also coincides with our podcast release which clocks in at a daunting 1 hour, 33 minutes, and 49 seconds. The podcast deals with the past, present, and future of A Rather Pleasant Site through means such as discussions, monologues, and interviews. We also comprehensively verbally review Espers, the background surrounding the entire album, and thoughts on the individual tracks as they relate to the detailed posts here. We spent a total of 55 minutes and 34 seconds covering Espers in the podcast, so it's not like we casually brushed over the details.

This is by far the most ambitious revival we've ever attempted. If you want the full details on our attempt at reviving the blog, please check out the podcast. The podcast will closely follow our projects and work here and information given in one will likely be relevant to the other.

Here are the links for the podcast.

Listen to the podcast on SoundCloud
Listen to the podcast on Bandcamp
Listen to the podcast on YouTube

Song of the Day 34: 'Sagetellah -The One Who Waits for the Life to Come'

Sagetellah starts out by having low, complex chords play the bass and medium-low notes play the melody. So far the melody is in the warm key of A flat major. At 0:25 the bass notes smooth out into steady eighth notes, and the melody goes up an octave. At 0:36 the melody remains the same, but now a lower octave is added to the treble notes. The bass rhythm quickens into sixteenth notes as well. At 0:50 a sequence of arpeggiated chords are played. They are played in a pattern; the left chord plays, then the right, and so on. Each chord gradually builds up and becomes higher until a high, arpeggiated chord is played at 1:00. After this is heard, the high notes freely go down the scale while the bass fades out. When the notes are back in a medium pitch, there is a brief pause at 1:07. A new section will start at 1:08. What has been heard so far was the introduction to the song; the beginning of the final track of Espers. This semi-cheerful melody at the beginning of the track will actually make a person feel depressed; it is as if the album is saying, "I know that this has been a lot of fun, but all good things must come to an end and this situation is no exception." The new section at 1:08 is a little faster than the last, and it changes into the key of D flat major. It starts with a four-note pattern from the bass clef; before the melody comes in, the pattern plays by itself for two measures. The melody, consisting of very high notes, comes in at 1:15. This section here almost feels like a lullaby; that feeling is especially felt at around 1:24. At 1:35 the bass and treble rhythms drop an octave and become more complex; the bass has added notes and established deeper harmonies while the treble notes turn into chords. This same pattern continues until roughly 1:53 when the last bass note is played and held. After an intentional pause, the melody will come back in and bring back the same four-note pattern from the beginning of this section (1:08). That pattern plays alone for a while until 2:06. Here the pattern will remain the same, but this time around it plays different notes. These new notes play until a new section at 2:18 begins to play. The section just heard (1:08-2:18) is filled with happy, cheery, major notes, but I have to say that it is one of the most depressing sections of the song. Going into this section once the introduction is finished creates a melancholy mood when the notes create the opposite feeling than the type of mood that key usually makes. Speeding up the song and using those happy notes in such a way make the fact that the album is about to end sink deep inside of a person. The new section at 2:18 has the same bass line that has been playing; it is the melody that is different. The melody is a little lower than it was in the last section, and it is a little broader because of its chord complexity. It has a note range similar to that of 1:35. As the melody continues to play, the bass line will change notes to fit with the notes being played; it creates a much deeper and bolder effect on the listener. At 2:33 the melody is emphasized through it being played in very high octaves. At 2:36 the song will purposely slow down, then quickly start up again at 2:39. This part of the section here reminds me of Nick Lammertyn's 'Super Metroid Ending'; it has extended, yet simple, basslines, and a melody without any chords. There are moments in music where simplicity wins. This is one of those moments because not only is it simple and easy to learn (currently I am in the process of learning this entire song by ear), but it gives a complex appearance since it is blended together so nicely. After his part of the section, which was a quicker, simpler version of this section's melody, the bass goes back into that pattern from 1:08 at 3:00. However, in order to transition into the next section, the pattern goes minor. The new section will start at 3:10. This section (2:18-3:10) is one of the warmest sections. A person listening to this could think at this section, "Wow, hearing this album was totally worth it!" This section could lessen a person's depression. This new section at 3:10 goes into a completely different mood. The bass starts out with one notes leading into a jazzy chord. The treble notes play a simple melody followed by small, high runs. This continues, and eventually it will just be the bass with only the quick runs. This section doesn't last long though; a new section starts at 3:37. That section was one of the more unique sections of the song, and the one that is the most out of place. However, I do feel that it is a representation of a person's emotions cooling down; it (the song) seems to feel less emotional and more relaxing with its smooth jazz-like sound. The next section goes back into the similar mood (that wasn't depressing) from 2:18 at 3:37. Here the bass line does a simple, three-notes pattern while the melody plays in the middle octave. There's a slight ritardando at 3:57, but soon afterwards it picks back up again. At 4:07 the climb will halt with a very minor-sounding chord. After this chord there is a brief pause, which concludes that section. The section gives you peace and makes a person want to enjoy the album while it is still playing. The following section at 4:12 is very similar to the last in terms of the notes being played. The melody is exactly the same, but the notes are now bigger, louder, and more complex chords. The same goes for the bass line; instead of the three-note pattern being freely played, all three of those notes are placed together in even chords. This gives this part of the song a more even and intense structure. At 4:32 it slows down dramatically. The same melody and bass continues, but there are two arpeggiated chords added in to conclude the section. I believe that the purpose of this particular section was to emphasize that melody a little more than the last section did. In fact, that melody will make a return later in the song, so watch out for that. It is one of the main parts of the song, that melody is. While it is not one of my favorite sections, it does have a quasi-important role in the song as a whole. The next section of the song is one of my favorite parts of the track, mainly because it is minor. The melody, starting the section off at 4:48 is low and occasionally becomes high. The bass does a cool pattern where it plays an eighth note in the beginning of the measure and plays the other notes during the offbeats. At 5:12 the melody consists now of chords, and the bass plays even eighth notes. At 5:14 the melody goes up really high for a brief moment; I love that part. Starting at 5:24, the bass goes up the scale in eighth notes, and once it gets high enough the melody takes over. This continues to play, getting more free and less "on the beat" each time. Once the last high note is played and held at 5:46, it slowly fades, leading into the next part of the song. I believe that this is the only section with completely minor content. Because of that contrast between 4:48-5:48 and the rest of the song, I find that this section stands out fairly well. Also, I liked where this section was placed; having this minor part in the very middle of the song helped transition the song into the second half while giving something that hadn't been heard yet. This upcoming section will fro from 5:48-6:25. It starts out with two semi-high notes followed by a high note paired with a lower grace note. The same sequence will continue until about 5:58 when it slows down a little bit. At 6:00 the sequence picks up again, but the two high notes become a three-note arpeggiated chord. So far it sounds very happy and cheerful until 6:12. Here the arpeggiated chords turn into regular chords, the sequence changes its rhythm, and it goes minor. This part of the section becomes bolder at 6:18 when everything drops down an octave. At 6:25 the next section will start after a couple rounds of that minor sequence. 5:48-6:25 is the most delicate section in the song. The dynamic levels throughout it worked pretty well, especially when everything became lower. I liked how the minor part had the notes turn into straight chords; it intensified the section a lot more after all of the fluffy, ballerina-like delicateness heard previously. Remember how I said that the melody from 3:37 and 4:12 was going to return? Well here at 6:25 it appears again, this time in the key a A major. There isn't much to say about this section other than the bass plays straight eighth notes, making it different than the other basslines from previous sections with the same melody. The section will transition into the next at 6:55. This relatively short section from 6:25 to 6:55 is mainly used as a transition for what is to come. Bringing back that melody in this calm fashion really helps prepare for similar sections like this in the future. Starting at 6:55, one of the most, if not the most, intense sections of the song occurs. It starts with a crazy buildup; the treble notes go everywhere with sixteenth note runs that eventually turn into outrageously fast thirty-second note runs that lead into the melody. The bass plays a fast, low, octave trill. At 7:01, everything comes together to create the climax point of the song. The melody from 3:37, 4:12, and 6:25 is played again, but this time in loud octaves. The bass is playing fast, sixteenth note runs that go up and down the scale. The key signature remains at A major. While this is going on, I notice that the treble octaves aren't always on the exact place that they should be, even though there are sections during this part that are supposed to be slightly syncopated. Starting at 7:24, the bass makes a slower run up the scale, but instead of going down it continues to get higher and higher until 7:35. This is right before the next section is going to be played. That section (6:55-7:36) is clearly the most intense and the most difficult par of the song to play, and it's actually the only section with a buildup before it was heard. It puts even greater emphasis on that melody than the sections that had previously played that melody. This section through its climatic mesh of notes lets the listener know that it won't be long now until the song and the album are completed. The dynamics and the runs release the song's full potential and glory instead of the other sections that are not quite as dramatic. The next section at 7:36 has a similar, delicate feeling as the section at 5:48. It is the same pattern as 6:18, but it is slower and in a different minor key. At 7:54 it starts to fade out a little bit after a chord is played and held for a while. At 7:56 the song comes back, but it plays a different, higher, and more majorish melody. It plays the same thing a couple times, going down an octave and then up again after each round. After that plays four times, a couple mall, major chords transition into the next section at 8:20. This section brings a person back into that state of mental depression; the listener is suspecting that the album is almost done, which it almost is. They are correct, and they should feel sad about it. However, there is still a little more left to listen to. This next part of the song starting at 8:20 is the beginning of the end. It's warm melody, which has some pretty loud dynamics, let the listener know that this is going to be a bold and obvious conclusion. While the melody is playing, the bass plays even, jazzy chords in quarter note form. Starting at 8:33, the melody simplifies and becomes single notes (instead of chords) playing it. At 8:51 the bass plays the same rhythm as the melody and harmonizes with it until the next section begins at 8:59. This section have a sense of unexplainable nostalgia. Seriously, after listening to the song a couple times I could not find that melody anywhere before 8:20 even though I thought that I had heard it before. The conclusion is upon us now. The next section at 8:59 to 9:27 has the exact same melody filled with nostalgia as 8:20, but it is played differently. This interpretation of that melody is played more freely, and it doesn't have an exact tempo. The bass is also now playing quick runs while the melody (now in simple octaves) plays. The melody is especially interpreted differently at 9:13 when both hands briefly play the melody in triplets. Starting at 9:20, the song will slow down even further and prepares itself for the next and final section of the song. This section was used as a way to get from point A to point B: Point A is the last nine minutes of music that sort of represent a long goodbye, while point B is the last thirty seconds of the song that make the ending of the song official. At 9:27, the end of the song arrives. To finish it, the song brings back the bass pattern all the way back from 1:08. However, it is much slower this time, and it is one octave lower. It brings back some nostalgia of the beginning of the song, which hadn't been heard since then. This slow rhythm will get slower and slower until 9:43. Here one grand, arpeggiated chord is played and held. The song is now complete, and Espers comes to a close.

Pros: The sections of this song had something new to offer every single time. Even if there were the same melodies, they were played in different styles. There was a good balance of major and minor content, enough to have the majority of listeners feel satisfied no matter which they prefer. Meteo Xavier presented his conclusion to Espers in such a way that made the listener feel and understand a plethora of emotions. Brilliant.

Cons: There weren't too many problems I had with the piece. I did notice some uncleanliness when it came to those massive chords, especially at the section starting at 4:12. Some of the transitions seemed slightly out of place, like the transition from the section at 3:10 to the one at 3:37 for example. Honestly those were the only negative comments I have about the track.

Overall: This is a fantastic conclusion to Espers. The change of sound to a solo piano piece after the previous tracks creates a great and heartwarming ending. All the content in the song was unique. Michael Huang did a beautiful job playing this, and the song had almost everything that a conclusion to an album should have. Everything worked out perfectly in the end.

Rating: 10/10 (This is the first song that has ever received a perfect score. It deserves it.)

Song of the Day 33: 'Navi Whisperwilde - The Forest Sprite and the Mana Spirit in Eternal Recurrence'

Navi Whisperwilde quietly comes across as being another one of Espers' best tracks. It has a transient quality and doesn't feel as bound by the time signature as many of the other tracks on the album. I would consider it the perfect lead up to the last track of Espers, a solo piano performance.

Navi Whisperwilde, like many of the tracks on Espers, fades in. The fade in comes with a very nicely designed synth with a lot of texture, functioning as a bass, but also retaining some high range sounds and something of a swirl. Atmospheric effects fade in along with the main synth and come in a variety of forms: what I'm going to term a "shooting effect" (SciFi style to be sure), something of a muted bell, and some light and brief saw stabs (with possible lower stabs being held back by a low-pass filter likely triggered by an LFO or something; or I could just call it a suppression filter :P). These elements are all a part of the fade in (although much less gradual than MLPC) and hold constant until 0:12 when the main synth changes notes (other than this change, the atmosphere remains the same). At 0:24 there's another note change for the main synth (back to the original note) and some atmospheric effects. These effects are an introductory factor and are present in the form of "atmospheric wind", a "hollow swallow effect" (oh dear), and some less noticeable pulses from a high range synth in what I as a former high school percussionist like to call "horse rhythm" (don't ask). These introductory effects lead to a more prevalent atmospheric effect at 0:30-0:32 (and they also add a beautiful layering effect to the main synth). This effect is something of a wavy sine synth (wavy in notes, sine in nature) and comes in the form of a brief test (stab is too emphatic a word to use here). The main synth changes back to its second note at 0:36 with some light atmospheric wind to introduce it (so going by what's revealed so far: about 12 second cycles and a bass synth that alternates between two notes with lots of atmospheric effects all the while). At 0:42-0:44 there's another brief entrance from the wavy sine synth but this time it's up an octave (which adds a nice subtle building touch to the structure of the piece thus far). At 0:46 there's the same high range synth pulses before in the "horse rhythm" this time used to lead up to the change in notes of the main synth at 0:48-0:49. This change is once again introduced by some light wind effects just like before, but now featuring the "hollow swallow" from before (this effect has some nice delay that causes it to "bounce around" a bit, a recurring theme in this track). The biggest change with this cycle, however, is the emerging "mallet synth" (it has a lot cleaner sound than mallet percussion heard previously in Espers) that goes through a series of notes while being gradually faded in and out. The series fades out as the cycle nears its end, leading to the main synth note change this time at 1:01. The note change is hailed by light wind atmosphere as usual (it also seems to have some residual effects on the following atmosphere). The next cycle at 1:13-1:14 is led up to by the high range synth pulses in the "horse rhythm" and the note change itself brings in the "hollow swallow" and wind atmosphere (although as I keep listening, it seems the wind atmosphere is integrated into the track itself and just becomes more noticeable during note changes). 1:19-1:21 brings the sound of the first wavy sine synth first heard at 0:30-0:32. 1:26 is the next cycle and it's led up to by some prevailing wind effects as usual. 1:32-1:34 is the wavy sine synth pitched up an octave now just like 0:42-0:44. 1:38 is introduced by the "hollow swallow" but it seems the high pulse is absent this time. The major change here is that instead of going up a few steps for the next note, the main synth goes the few steps and an octave, coming in with the high range sounds more noticeable. The next cycle at 1:50 sees the main synth jump a few steps higher still, almost a full two octaves above the notes heard thus far. The cycle is introduced by light wind effects, but for the duration there's some soft high range "space effects" (think SciFi again) to add to the atmosphere (they destabilize near the end of the cycle, making for a nice phasing effect). 2:02-2:03 brings in some more "hollow swallow" and also a very high pitched sound that reminds me of turning an old TV on; I'm guessing its an emerging part of something already present as opposed to a new element. At 2:15 the bass synth goes back up, establishing that the octave changes are done for now. 2:18-2:20 has a weird subtle effect going on that adds to the swirling feeling already established (again, sounds very SciFi). 2:22-2:25 has some light brushing sounds for atmospheric effect, another nice touch. 2:27 gives us a "hollow swallow" entrance that drops us back down an octave with the high wavy sine synth heard at 2:33-2:35. There's also an additional atmospheric effect faded in during the wavy sine synth at 2:34 which sounds like another swirly synth and is more present than most of the atmospheric effects heard so far. At around 2:36 it sounds like some filter modulation works with the swirly synth, bringing it into more of the low range spectrum. At 2:40 the higher end of the atmosphere pulls downward, revealing what could be a synth choir with heavy effects surrounding it, there's also the higher octave of the wavy sine synth. 2:49 gives us some more synth pulses leading us into the 2:52 cycle. At 2:55 we hear our first bit of clearly defined piano notes that coincide with the atmosphere and wavy sine synth. The transition to the next cycle isn't as clearly defined, but I love the way the atmosphere gradually pans left at this point. At 3:07 is our next bit of piano, same rhythm, different notes (there's also a delay effect to mesh it better with the atmosphere). For 3:17 there's some more subtle "hollow swallow" that brings in another bout of atmosphere. 3:23 ushers in the wavy sine synth again (lower octave this time). 3:25 plays the same piano notes as 2:55 and brings us to 3:30 where there's a distinctive high range synth that rises up then gradually falls back down, breaking into elements of synth that seem to sputter (artistically I'm thinking fireworks here). The piano elements continue, but the firework synth at 3:38 (it's probably more a meshing of synths) quietly rises up and then spits recurrences of itself out that fall down, continuing the firework theme and again reminding me of the title of the track. 3:41 brings us our first more complex series of piano notes that are rapidly played, letting the effects take over until the next rapid piano series that comes at 3:44 amidst the atmosphere (the second series is higher pitched). The 3:47 piano series is the same as 3:41 as it seems Meteo Xavier is testing the waters with the piano and then brings in a completely new series (similar pitch, but this time different (still similar though) rhythm and notes) at 3:51. There's also the firework synth making occasional, but not dominant reappearances such as at 3:50. Now at 3:53 we get some extra notes that bounce around for a nice effect and are now layered on top of parts of the original series of piano notes that played. 3:56 bring us of what sounds like the beginning of a melody accompanied by a shot from the fireworks synth. The melody (if you can consider it played by the piano) is then a series of rapid piano notes followed by a pauses for effect. At 4:00 the wavy sine synth works with the piano, really adding a lot more flavor to the higher range sounds. At 4:02 we get a full blast of the wavy sine synth, and it seems we're getting all the stops pulled out here as we also get some firework synth action all meshed with the piano and atmosphere. The whole thing is still very subtle and atmospheric, it's really a beautiful thing to hear all the elements pulled in, yet not be overpowered by any of it. At 4:06 there's the pulses from the high range synth, signalling a coming change. The percussive synth now returns to the same series of notes heard at the beginning. At 4:10 there's more firework action (at this point I'm sort of neglecting to mention the constant wavy sine synth, piano, and firework action). At 4:18 is the most distinctive moment in the track. There's some great atmospheric expansion and instead of playing rapid series of notes, the piano seems to actually play a consistent melody as the bass atmosphere synth shifts. This whole section through to 4:30 does play a legit melody and it's really the culmination of some excellently pulled off building. The firework synth is throughout and at 4:31 is the wavy sine synth. At 4:35 an ethnic flute/synth emerges from the atmosphere and plays a bit of a melody that's accompanied by surrounding atmospheric effects (the piano has returned to its background role). At 4:54 the piano takes over with the flute/synth gone. At the five minute mark it seems like we've lost the firework synth and the wavy sine synth, again leaving us with the heavy doses of atmosphere and the piano playing rapid series of notes. At 5:13 the piano comes down with something a bit more melodic like before, the remnants of the culmination. The wavy sine is now back at 5:16 and at 5:13 we also heard the beginning of some part of the fireworks synth, so those elements are back, but not in full force meshing with each other like they were before. There's some piano repeat action throughout the 5:20s section that seems to emphasize that the piano series is being brought to a close. From 5:30 to 5:44 we're left to enjoy the amazing atmospheric elements that've pretty much always been present with some great effects. There's what sounds like subtle remnants of the firework synth and the synth pulse lead in, but played by a different synth than usual. 5:44 is the wavy sine synth that marks a change in the overall atmosphere as the track shifts away from low range sounds in the atmosphere. There are fireworks effects as the now high synth atmosphere bass goes through a more pronounced series. From 5:56 to 6:00 the wavy sine synth combines with the shooting effects of the firework synth to mark the atmospheric bass as it works back down to its usual location. More wavy synth action at 6:03 as the atmospheric bass repeats its work down action. At 6:10 it seems to settle a little more, still in the high range, but now effects are beginning to depart. At 6:15 the piano returns with some brief notes as the track winds down. There's another settle at 6:22 after the atmospheric bass repeat. At 6:30 we get a teaser for another repeat, but instead the atmospheric bass fades a little, but returns on the same note. At 6:33 the atmospheric bass transitions its sound, becoming more choir like. At 6:40 a fade out begins as the choir atmospheric bass now does another work down repeat. The fireworks effects finally begin to cease as the fade begins to convincingly take effect. The final fade out consists of the choir atmospheric bass and the always present fading in and out series of percussive synths. With that, my work doing write ups for Espers is done as the final piano solo track will be tackled by Marim.

Pros: For his last electronic track on the album, Meteo Xavier really throws down the atmosphere, bringing all the subtlety and beauty with it. The lack of percussion and the reliance on the fading in and out percussive synth is one of the highlights of this track is at tends to make things sound a lot more complicated then they probably actually are. The atmospheric bass choir synth thing is wonderfully designed and is probably my favorite synth or blending of synths I hear on the entire album. The smooth transitions and interesting recurrences are sheer brilliance.

Cons: Not much melody here, nor is there supposed to be. Navi Whisperwilde was designed as a background track and it shows, but it's really not a con. I guess I could say that a lot of the synths, styles, and notes are repetitive, but I could just as easily spin that as a pro. It's real hard for me to nitpick this one as it has some of the most beautifully designed and unique atmosphere I've ever heard.

Overall: Navi Whisperwilde gets me because as a background track, it's so easy to just write it off. However, if you closely examine this, it's some of the best constructed stuff around and probably the quiet winner of Espers when it comes to sheer brilliance of design. The abundance of atmospheric effects, synths, and effortless and beautiful transitions is amazing. This track is flat out amazing and it is the perfect lead in to the final track of Espers. It almost exudes a sense that we are almost to the destination, the final track. Again, a very aptly named track.

Overall: 9.8

Song of the Day 32: 'Maria Le Pitruzelluca Celeste XVII - The Sound of God's Love Made Flesh'

Maria Le Pitruzelluca Celeste XVII (which I'll be calling MLPC for the sake of convenience) continues the trend of uniqueness that Espers brings to the table.

MLPC fades in with a piano sequence, chimes, and an atmospheric bass synth. The piano sequence is interesting in that it isn't a fulfilling sound, it just builds up and down each sequence, resetting every 4-5 seconds. The chimes are really just an atmospheric addition as they aren't constant, but do frequent in order to add to the atmosphere. The atmospheric bass synth fades through notes, coming in softly and subtly joined by new notes at 0:05. At 0:09 there's a fresh wave of chimes, this time joined by some atmospheric wind effects (this album is wrecking havoc on my ability to name sounds). The wind effects at 0:14 are a different tone, adding to the atmosphere of the atmospheric bass synth that has now grown into a church organ-ish sound holding down a chord. The volume fade in becomes very apparent now as the sound reaches its peak. At 0:19 there's another round of chimes, symbolizing the beginning of another measure and a repeat of the previous sequence sans volume. The volume increase makes the lower range sounds of the atmospheric effects more prevalent in the repeat, adding a nice touch by eliminating the feeling of complete repetition. At 0:28-0:29 the cycle resets once again with the chimes. This sequence (which lasts until 0:38) features less wind atmosphere action, leaning more toward the growing intensity of the atmospheric bass organ synth and its constant chord. At 0:38 the piano sequence becomes subtly more intricate with the addition of some octave coverage of certain notes as well as chords formed by the additional notes. 0:43 adds some light and high bell tones to the mix, forming more layers on top of the ever-present piano repetition which has been cycling since the opening of the track. These bells also go on to serve like the chimes, introducing each new cycle, although they also subdivide the cycle on their own. The wind atmosphere effects also become a little more distinctive in this cycle, in that they start to lean towards a particular sequence of events that's more able to be anticipated than the previous movements. The next cycle opens at 0:48 with the introduction of choir voices. These voices, like the bells, build on top of the repetitive piano sequence through more elongated notes, similar in technique to what has been shown in the rest of the album. The voices themselves drift like the atmosphere of the track, making note changes very subtle and atmospherically. The next cycle goes at 0:57 and mainly serves to continue the changing notes of the voices. There's also some sick atmospheric backwash at 1:03 which is either the addition of new atmospheric elements or the interplay of previous elements with the voices (I believe it's a result of additional instrumentation that's too hard for me to pin down although it could just be additional synth voices). Either way, it has a searing quality to it, adding to the mystery of the piece. This searing quality continues with the next cycle at 1:07 now accompanied by more apparent low register aspects of the atmospheric wind. 1:16-1:17 ushers in the next cycle which is mainly just another loop with atmospheric experimentation. The subtleties of the changes of sound become so increasingly hard to track that I hesitate to say anything definite about what's going on at this point. 1:26 is the next cycle and it's marked by changes in the piano through the addition of certain notes (after going through this a few times, it seems as if just a few notes were altered for the sake of introduction, otherwise the sequence remains the same--this is also apparent at 0:38). The dominating overtones of the atmospheric bass and choir have faded into the background somewhat by this time with the atmospheric wind supplying the most apparent low register sounds (the searing backwash is gone). In general, the 1:20s section appears to let the growing energy of the piece dissipate somewhat before building it back with the following sections. 1:36 is the next cycle and while it fails to contribute anything noticeably new at its conception, a new sweep-up effect comes into play at 1:42, born out of the atmosphere of the choir and bass. The cycle continues with 1:46 and now its apparent that the sweep-up birthed some more orchestra related sounds (strings). This whole piece is awash with sounds now as the choir voice backwash continues for the next cycle at 1:55. This new cycle has the altered piano intro (at least I think so, at this point I could be making stuff up because of all the ambient sounds). This goes until, finally, at 2:04, the sounds burst with a transition roll bringing some definitively new changes (I must say, this section took me by surprise after carefully listening to and trying to find every intricate aspect of the first 2 minutes). However, the changes aren't as sudden as they first appear. While the piano sequence does change notes from 2:04-2:14, a sequence that repeats twice still exists and the notes quickly change to a more familiar setting at the next cycle (2:14). The dominant elements of all aspects have dissolved except for the atmospheric organ bass. The lack of atmosphere is supplemented by a crash (think long attack and release in keeping with the theme) at 2:09. At 2:14 the setting becomes recognizable very quickly with the piano playing the same sequence it started with, albeit at the next lowest octave. This sense of growing familiarity is also helped by the beginnings of the wind atmosphere sequence that became apparent in the previous section. Thankfully, things do develop differently with a more defined role being played by the light bells in the next cycle at 2:24. It seems this time the bells are more affected by the atmosphere of the piece, with a lot of additional overtones being created by the mingling of sounds. The melody of the bells is unique as well and although it takes breaks, doesn't reset with the piano sequence. They cycle at 2:33 doesn't add anything other than growing atmosphere and the continually evolving melody of the bells. One of the most memorable moments of the bells during this section (at least for me) comes in the build up and build down from 2:37-2:43 that seems to parallel what the piano does with different notes and sounds. This might also be a little more memorable because the bells are absent with the sequence at 2:43, leaving the wind and bass atmospheres to dominate. These atmospheres soon fade through the next cycle at 2:53, setting the track up for a bit of a piano solo (I might've also missed some choir voices that showed up in this section without backwash). This solo really only occurs as a result of fade outs that take place in the latter 2:50s. The solo also sets up the reintroduction of certain elements at 3:02. For once the introduction of this cycle is not marked by chimes, rather a lower choir voice that is soon joined by counterparts in a juxtaposition with the piano. The next cycle is also not marked by chimes (now assume all future measures are not marked by chimes until stated otherwise) and begins at 3:11 with a pickup melody by the light bells. Now the atmosphere is mostly gone from the bells and they stand out as a distinctive element playing a melody on top of the piano and voices. At 3:20-3:21 some more atmospheric laced elements of the bells rapidly alternate two notes continuing the "pickup" nature of the bell melody in this section. The cycle at 3:21 leaves out the bells though, with just the piano and choir voices to work until 3:31. 3:31 is distinctive in that the repetitive piano cycle that has been going since the beginning drops down yet another octave, leaving it two full octaves beneath what it was at the start of the track. The choir voices are also either down an octave, or altered slightly with lower register sounds. There's a single note at 3:38 that sounds similar to sounds of what I believed backwash from intensive choir sections earlier in the track (such as the searing at 1:03). There's also some pickup action that happens from 3:39-3:40 in the form of indistinctive non-choir voice. The new cycle at 3:40 is now introduced by chimes (although this is an isolated incident). The new cycle also includes more orchestral elements in the form of strings among other sounds. The indistinctive non-choir voice(s) will continue to be a part of the atmosphere from this point on until 4:08. At 3:50, the cycle repeats more subtly than ever before, continuing with the orchestral string (organ maybe) cycle that echoes the wind atmosphere cycles heard previously (in notes). The cycle beginning at 4:00 initiates a somewhat rapid fade out of all musical elements in play, bringing us to complete silence at 4:08. Ending the track at 4:08 seems a little weird, but not to worry, Meteo Xavier brings music back at 4:10, disregarding many previous established parameters in the track. 4:10 opens with a 4 note bass sequence from a mid-range harp that is quickly joined by an accompanying flute melody (both of these elements are introduced for the first time at this point). It's not a complete change of theme though, despite the new instruments and melody, it radiates with the same "touch" as the first half of the track, slowly building in volume around a central element (instead of the piano it's the harp). However, the harp plays a much more traditional supporting role as opposed to the repeating build up, build down style of the piano. 4:24 is another cycle repeat with nothing significant other than the increasing volume making the sound of the flute melody in particular become more apparent. 4:38 is the next cycle which throws in another flute (at 4:42) to join the main melody on occasional notes (similar to what we saw with the piano earlier) until the end of the cycle (it also seems like the volume reaches its normal level during this time as well). 4:51-4:52 begins the next cycle with nothing significant (although it is nice to just enjoy the 4 key rotation of the harp). It's also important to note that the flute melody never truly repeats until after these first 4 cycles. 5:05-5:06 opens the door with some significant accompaniment being added to the mix. The cycle is kicked off with the chimes, low choir/bass, and bells. The low choir/bass plays the supporting note for the 4 key rotation of the harp and has some wonderful contrast to the rest of the piece, creating a surreal background for the elements in the foreground. The high bells from before are back with some occasional notes that support the main melody and then join in more rapidly starting at 5:12. This also contrasts very well with the surreal quality that seems to rise out of this sudden introduction of instruments. 5:19 is the next cycle as evident by the repeat in the previous cycle/measure. Beyond the repeat (excluding the flute of course) there's not much else going on (although it seems that the chimes will now mark each cycle/measure as seen previously). The cycles at 5:33 and 5:46-5:47 are just more of the same; repeating the flute melody that spanned the first 4 cycles, now with supporting elements. As we'd expect, the cycle at 6:00 is a significant change. It drops the flute melody, chimes, and choir, instead opting for the repeating harp now with piano support (which comes largely in the form of alternating notes of the supporting key for the first two chord sequences and arpeggiating a bit more of the last two chord sequences). The bass now comes in the form of a more orchestral sounding element, sounds like it could be a mix of string instruments and church organ. However, the bass still plays the same role, acting as a support for the chord progression key changes of the harp. All in all, it's still a seamless transition that while noticeable, doesn't significantly change the feel or mood of the piece. The cycle repeats without the chime introduction at 6:14. 6:28 is big though and is the second hardest hitting transition of the piece (the complete fade out and silence from 4:08 to 4:10 is the biggest). Now we're getting blasted by the high range choir (also note the chime introduction) joined by the church organ bass now playing higher notes. This grandiose change is also marked by some additional percussion hits that supplement each key change in the chord progression (with splash hits coming at 6:28, 6:31, 6:34, 6:38). The intensity increases midway through the cycle, with some additional atmosphere. 6:34-6:38 brings a sweep-up atmospheric effect similar to 1:42. It also seems like the church organ is particularly loud at 6:38, adding to the build effect. This cycle is repeated at 6:41-6:42 with the exception of the sweep-up atmospheric effect. 6:55 is the next cycle leaving us in the wake of the full choir and organ. The flute melody that began at 4:10 is back, but now it has some wicked offsetting backwash to go with it (this is a result of atmospheric injection, not reverb from the previous elements). In summary, 6:55 begins to wrap the track up as the only remaining elements are the flute lead, the supporting harp bass and its chord progression, and the "backwash" atmospheric injection that continues to work throughout for needed effect. 7:22 is the beginning of the fade out (marked by a particularly low range wind effect). The track ends on the fade out of the flute's completion of the 4 cycle melody at 7:43.

Pros: Huge abundance of excellently managed atmospheric effects that created beautiful offsetting contrasts really helped this piece. The high bells in particular mingled well with all the elements in play. The surreal atmosphere generated by the majority of elements working together and in contrast was greatly helped by the choice of instrumentation. It was also neat to see the repetition of themes in the "second half" (starting at 4:10) which remind the listener of the first half. The crescendos and decrescendos seemed to play a significant role as well and it was nice to see them work with the instrumentation fairly well, adding to the growing feeling of something surreal and otherworldly.

Cons: The build up, build down piano repetition that happens from the beginning to 4:08 (first half) starts to bother me despite the octave drops (although the drops do help). Despite the presence of some fantastic mystical atmosphere, MLPC often feels too simplistic. This is especially apparent with the continuous repetition of a single element (i.e. piano, chimes, harp). I know that for all intensive purposes, Espers is pretty much founded on the cycle of 4/4 time, but it really shows in this track. The other major thing that bothered me was the complete change at 4:08-4:10. While the repetition in theme is a redeeming quality, it seems that we're listening to an entirely different track by the same composer. It just doesn't seem to fit all that well with the progression of events in the rest of the tracks on Espers.

Overall: MLPC is one of the more simple tracks on Espers in my opinion. Thankfully, it's mystical contrasts and sounds are appealing enough that it doesn't sound like a repeat of Saelmeth without the percussion. The choir is definitely one of this tracks strong points as it adds some much needed support to many areas of the piece. The weakest point is the contrast of repetition and completely changing sounds midway through the track. It sort of degrades the beginning section when the second half sounds so unlike it. MLPC is a standout on Espers due to its change in sound halfway through, but it's still a strong track with good atmosphere and wonderful simultaneous contrasts and feelings.

Rating: 8.4

Song of the Day 31: 'Icidina - Royal Highshiva of the Glacierplains'

We go from one of the harshest sounding tracks of Espers to one of the slickest. Icidina comes across as being one of the stronger tracks of Espers with a solid groove working among an as-always well developed atmosphere.

Icidina begins with a very awesome sounding sweepdown effect that sort of glides/flies in. Notes solidify and set the stage for what sounds like one of the coolest tracks on Espers. At 0:06 we get our first taste of the percussion. Icidina has some of the less exotic percussion sounds seen in Espers; instead, it features a little more conventional styles and sounds in the form of what I'd call something of a rim hit (with a bit of a low end to it) and then a hi-hat (I'm way out of my league as far as naming samples and synths go so please bear with me). Anyway, 0:06 marks the first rim hit followed by three hi-hats for the quarter notes. One of the other aspects I think I can really appreciate about Icidina is solid construction. Meteo Xavier doesn't try to attack us with everything at once, rather very carefully manipulating elements to make basic stuff sound complex. The simple 4 beat percussion cycles in about 3 seconds. The atmosphere in this track is very solid and not as "washy" as any of the previous tracks. It hovers fairly certainly around a few notes and is a great backdrop for the percussion which repeats twice after 0:06 before the next element is introduced. At 0:13 the harmony appears and it is by far one of the sickest I've heard in a long time. Once again I'm at loss as to what to call it so we'll just go with "wavy synth". The wavy synth glides through all its note changes and flows very smoothly in the certainty and business-like manner of Icidina. At 0:20-0:25 some more atmosphere emerges via sound effects (this time it sounds like birds). At 0:26 a bass enters and goes through a single note sequence rhythm that's clearly defined, yet not too abrupt. The entering bass is joined by additions to the percussion section in the form of a bass drum on 1 and 3 and a hi-hat snare thing going on 2 and 4. Either this replaces the previous percussion or is stacked on top of it (I'm inclined to believe the former). This basic beat will continue for quite a while and contributes to the very methodical sound of the track as opposed to the others on Espers. At 0:40 a new significant element is added in the form of a low flute. This plays a non repetitive drifting yet defined melody until 1:06 when it drops out in favor of a less drawn-out "ethnic bell" part that plays a repetitive harmony sequence. Also at 1:06, the percussion section gains a tambourine with some definite reverb to assist on beats 2 and 4. At 1:20 there's some very neat atmospheric synths that play unique supporting notes that mesh very well with the atmosphere. This continues until 1:33 when what appears to be an orchestra begins to make itself known. This starts with the drawn out strings and then the horns emerge at 1:40. The melody itself seems to continue in the non repetitive drifting yet defined style first seen with the low flute at 0:40. There's also something like a soft high sine synth that works within the orchestra (either that or a flute or something in the orchestra). At 1:56-1:58 there's a bit of a "wind swell" which is basically some low atmosphere injection. This appears again at 2:10-2:12 and leads us to 2:14 where the orchestra parts quickly fade out and a bass atmosphere injection quickly fades in but decays steadily until its single note is renewed at 2:20. At 2:23 things begin to get a little weirder (although the stacked elements that have been progressing since the beginning help the majority of the track to still fill familiar). A medium high sort of trilling sample enters and begins to mesh with the background. This raises the dramatic element a little bit and to assist, at 2:26 it's joined with a new higher harmonic reinforcement synth to back up the "ethnic bell" which originally entered at 1:06. The trilling sample steadily decays and modulates with the atmosphere, with the single note being out by 2:36. At 2:36-2:37 another trilling note appears and repeats the process, but this time the note is also triggered at 2:40 as well. At 2:41 we begin to hear the lower end accompaniment of the trill in the form of a choir type sound that simply drops out and down underneath us in a very creepy, cool, and slick fashion (this is especially noticeable from 2:46-2:50). The trill works with the choir type sound, slowly getting slightly lower before fading out in order to highlight the sick dropout of the choir. At 2:50 the choir type sound does something even more creepy by building back up the scale of notes, sliding as the trill spits out brief sounds at 2:50, 2:51, 2:53, etc. (basically on the beat). As the low choir type sound builds back, there's an airy atmospheric effect at 2:54 that sort of swallows the sound of the build back. The airy atmospheric effect lingers in the form of subsequent atmospheric effects (i.e. at 2:57 there's a lower end effect that is basically the "wind swell" previously heard at 1:56-1:58), but it also makes another appearance at 2:59. Prior to 3:06 there's a subtle build up as higher end sounds begin to buzz their way into the mix, readying us for the entrance of a new synth. At 3:06 a new saw string type synth makes a rhythm out of a single note, with the sequence ending in a higher note adding to the "groove" feel. A more mid range saw type synth also appears at 3:06 with just a single note bouncing around the atmospheric effects applied to the synth. Also at 3:06 it appears the melodic reinforcement that first entered at 2:26 is now gone in order to make room for the dominating sounds of the saw type synths. During the time since the choir type sound disappeared, the "wind swell" mid range effect has dramatically increased and it now makes its rounds like a frequent part of the track. At 3:30 another choir type trilling sound happens and then at 3:33 the mid range saw type synth that's been bouncing around is given a more distinctive note to mesh with the atmosphere and the high saw string rhythmic synth is now gone. The track continues like this with the choir type sound making some resurgences along the way that seem more integrated with the "wind swells" occurring in the atmosphere. At 3:56 we also see a fainter version of the trill spitting out brief sounds that was previously seen at 2:50 (this continues until 4:03). There's a brief fadeout of multiple elements leading to 4:00. The "wavy synth" that's been persisting since 0:13 is gone as is any harmonic support it once had. All that's left is the remnants of the mid range saw synth that was intensified at 3:33 (it will soon disappear, but it just takes longer due to all the delay and release effects), the basic percussion first heard at the beginning of the track, and the bass that entered at 0:26 (although now it has a bass drum driving its rhythm and I'm not quite sure when it entered; this bass drum also works very well in tandem with the simple beat established in the percussion at the beginning of the track). This rapid deconstruction from all the slick elements that've been working all this time leaves us with a very cool bassline and working with remarkably simple percussion. This is also interesting because the atmosphere that existed in the very beginning is gone and there's not much else to dwell on other than the awesome bassline and percussion. At 4:13 the low flute at 0:40 reappears and plays the same melody, although this time its much softer to account for fewer instruments. At 4:36 the low flute is gone but now the percussion from before is also gone and is replaced by a faint high hi-hat that plays on 2 and 4. This really lets us enjoy the bassline. There's a low "wind swell" at 4:43-4:45 but the bass persists on its own until the atmosphere is slowly faded in with a mid-high range "wind swell" beginning at 4:50. At 5:03 the original percussion is back (the cycle the track started with) as is the orchestral elements from 1:33. However, the original percussion is now joined by a bass drum on the 3rd beat. These elements play their original melodies now more prevalent without the extra sections from before. This sequence runs until 5:43 at which time a new distinctive harmony-like repetitive sequence enters. This sequence also works very well with the overall groove of the track and the "wind swells" that go with it. The sequence repeats at 5:50 at which time the "wavy synth" reenters, completing the slick groove that dominates the moods and feelings of Icidina. At 6:04 the tambourine once again becomes a part of the percussion for beats 2 and 4. At 6:13 the trill again starts spitting out notes per beat and doesn't cease until 6:26. At 6:30 we're left hanging on the first note of the sequence started at 5:43. At this time all elements disappear from the track, leaving only the atmospheric sweepdown that the track started with. At 6:37 the bird sound effects from the beginning of the track emerge among the atmosphere although they are softer and fade out this time as the atmosphere deconstructs. In the end (7:04) we're left with silence as the last note of the atmosphere that began the track has faded out.

Pros: Icidina is methodical and throws down some very simple, yet slick grooves. The atmospheric sweepdown that began the track is one of the coolest I've heard and the overall atmosphere was more of a airy synth then the washy and exotic sounds of the rest of the album. The percussion wasn't significantly exotic, but it was definitely unique. The methodical construction and deconstruction of elements also made for some cool moments, especially when all the elements were scaled back to just the bassline and basic percussion. It's hard to ignore how simplicity is a winning formula for Icidina.

Cons: It's also hard to ignore how simplicity prevents a track from being near perfect. Icidina is good, but it lacks the overall atmosphere of the other tracks on Espers as well as the complexity. The fading and meshing sounds of the orchestra were sort of a strange addition to the track as they really didn't jive with the rest of the 4/4 in some cases. Then again, I guess you have to start somewhere.

Overall: Icidina is quite possibly my favorite track on Espers because it follows (what is in my book) the winning formula of simplicity. Staying in strict 4/4 for most of the track, Icidina features basic percussion rhythms and melds that with a cool bassline. The simplicity of the track is also what helps it sound very business-like and slick as the melodies are very methodical series' of notes. That being said, I can agree with Meteo Xavier when he calls this track a bit "bare". I'm curious to hear what a redo of this track would sound like. Overall, Icidina is a great track to have as the 5th out of 8 as it shows Meteo Xavier is still capable of bringing fresh and different material to the table late into the album. Just as you thought you had the style of Espers pinned down, this happens. In the end, very solid track and very enjoyable to listen to.

Rating: 9.3