"This is the beginning of a new era in Electrique's career," Mr. Aldasiel announced in a press conference held in the more stable outskirts of his mind amidst an imaginary audience. "It's the beginning of the Third Age, this next four-year period, covering 2013 to 2017. It's daunting to imagine that I would be 32 by the time I release my third greatest hits compilation, and because of that internal pressure, I want my first album for this period to be a cut above my previous works. I want it to be definitive, this transition. With this new album, I want my listeners and fans to be shocked anew about the new heights I am still capable of achieving. I want to give them the impression that they really haven't heard anything yet. That I have much more to deliver."
Electrique received a renewed vigor after it released "Icarus" (2011), arguably its most successful album to date. Form then on, it continued its winning streak with album gems such as "Revelations" (2012), "Head in the Clouds" (2012), and "Electric Dreams" (2013), all gaining Electrique new fans and converting previous naysayers into thinking that this simple personal project is more than a whimsy and is really capable of producing something grand. Can Electrique really scale it up when it already has achieved so much when it comes to mixtape-making?
"'Forever Young' wasn't a difficult album to make since it was a greatest hits album. The songs were already there and mostly I just had to plan their lineup nicely. And the six new songs included there were already in my pocket and I had been simply biding my time until this season came around. So you can say that since "Viral", I wasn't really making a new album. And this is why I still have this pent-up energy and ideas within me to come up with some spanking brand new sounds."
Electrique's last official release, the aformenetioned "Viral", however, failed to achieve its namesake popularity. It received a mediocre reception, recalling the response of its listeners for "Drifter".
"I think the reason why "Viral" did not make it big was because it was essentially a feel bad album. I think it's my saddest album, despite the rampant sexual context. It starts warm and steamy but ends up cold and dry and lonely, and very few listeners will revel in that. Despite a few glitches towards the end, I still think it was a remarkable well-executed album in a thematic sense. It presents a solid story, complete with an emotional progression supported both lyrically and acoustically. However, it bogs its listeners down. Other than that, I admit that its making had been rushed. It ended up half-cooked.
"So I'm going to undo all this lull with this next album, "Kingdom Come". It's going to be about changes and transitions. As with my best works, I want to showcase this theme not only in the lyrics but also in the sound. I've been lucky to unearth some songs which sound fresh, and they're going to dispel the tiredness which permeated "Viral". "Kingdom Come", as the title suggests, is about hope. It is about getting back on track, so some songs in here are definitely paean in nature. But of course, the concept of hope is best executed through overcoming trials so there will also be some downers in here. Not very many I hope. Just enough to deliver my message effectively."
But how exactly will "Kingdom Come" sound? Electrique's recent albums can be roughly classified into two poles: the twangy acoustic ones ("Icarus", "Revelations", "Head in the Clouds") and the synthy electronic ones ("Drifter", "Electric Dreams", "Viral"). Which would it be this time?
"I'm excited with the sound of "Kingdom Come" because it's a fusion of genres. The base of the songs here are of the usual indie rock/pop palette, but the overtones are liberally laden with synths for more texture. It's the first time I'm doing this, and the results are unusually good. It provided the much-needed freshness I'm aiming for with this record. Hopefully, I will win the hearts of those who like either genre. And of course, there's something new to the sound of the album as well but I won't reveal it at the moment. The title of the album also hints at this new... err, beat. There are so many facets to the title of this album."
As the press conference drew to a close, Mr. Aldasiel gave one last message to its longtime fans.
"You are in for a treat, my friends," he proclaimed while raising his arms in a warm welcoming gesture. "I want this album to be my best album, beating by leagues both "Icarus" and "Head in the Clouds". You will feel that this is indeed, a new era. A new level to sound. A new level to meaning. This is music which will make you feel giddy. Music which will not escape your ears for days maybe weeks. But the message, my dears... The message of this album will be the one which will truly last in your minds and hearts. Beat the drums and sound those trumpets, let our Kingdom Come!"
And with a last resounding hurray from the audience, Mr. Aldasiel retreated into the chaotic confines of his mind to work more on his self-proclaimed work of art.
No comments:
Post a Comment