Review Summary: Amazing production, but the music lacks energy.
It was very pleasing to listen to “Currents”. It is a great work of music production. The texture is formed mainly by electronic sounds such as synths and pads. For more organic elements, the recording features a very airy sounding vocal and some electric guitar and bass.
The vocal gives the listener an impression of big ambience and space. Although it has a very interesting tone, it lacks dynamics. The vocal performance is not present, making the listener focus more on the instrumentation. I feel that the album would have had a stronger impression on me if the vocal were more dynamic. While listening to it, I was waiting for the vocal to take over, not necessarily screaming, but a more aggressive tone for it to stand out in the mix.
One of my favorite aspects is the catchy synth bass along the album. Combined with EQ and filter effects, the artist creates the feeling of immersing the listener into another dimension, which I think it is one of the best production elements in this genre over all. I am also a fan of the percussion texture in the album. Having different tones, and sudden stops, creates a very diverse percussion. Considering that the vocal is laid back, the percussion brings energy to the mix, supporting the other mellow instruments like most of the synths and strings.
I was a little confused when it comes to song structure. Even though I could tell there were hooks/choruses, which repeat in songs, it was a bit confusing to determine the each song’s structure. However, I think the irregular song structure has an integral part of how this music entertains the listener. I like it when the artist introduces new musical elements and effects with EQ and filters along the songs. An irregular song form keeps the listener interested and also catches it off guard with unexpected elements, effects and arrangements.
This is a great sounding album. I was really impressed on how it was executed when it comes to production. I only wish it had a more dynamic vocal performance; and honestly, sometimes I felt the whole groove was too slow for my taste. It could be more aggressive. This is something I would definitely have on an “ambience” playlist. I would listen to this while studding, relaxing or just while chatting with my friends. My favorite tracks are “Eventually”, “Reality In Motion” and “The Less I Know The Better”.
