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Luke Tangerine – Urban Echoes
Luke Tangerine, a Frankfurt-based multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and composer, returns with another flawlessly written, composed, arranged, recorded, and produced piece of sonic art that deserves your attention if you’re into flawlessly executed synth music. Like many of his works, “Urban Echoes” carries compositions that defy categorization into a singular musical form, but synth music comes to […]
Luke Tangerine, a Frankfurt-based multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and composer, returns with another flawlessly written, composed, arranged, recorded, and produced piece of sonic art that deserves your attention if you’re into flawlessly executed synth music. Like many of his works, “Urban Echoes” carries compositions that defy categorization into a singular musical form, but synth music comes to mind first. Luke Tangerine embraces several subgenres of synth music, such as synthwave or synth-pop, to illustrate such rich, luxurious, intricate sonic imagery where every note and beat has its role and purpose. This clever artist always rotates the music genres depending on the release concept or the mood of the songs, so that’s the case here. You’ll notice how many vital ingredients borrowed from experimental electronica, electronica, cinematic ambient, breakbeat, leftfield, and downtempo music found their way into this sonic equation. Still, don’t be surprised if you stumble upon some art rock or progressive rock elements because Luke Tangerine incorporated them too.
This magnificent material commences with “Metal Fatigue,” a perfect introductory piece that carries the essence of Luke Tangerine’s sound. As usual, this skilled artist leaves no room for mistakes. Everything is thoroughly planned and calculated. The number arrives with the profoundly detailed sequenced theme, supported with an octave higher lead. Tangerine thinks outside the box when it comes to composing, so his thematic sequences are equally intricate as leads, melodies, harmonies, and other sonic maneuvers pushed up front. The robust and heavy low-end notes lurk around, offering heaviness, depth, and clarity to the song. “Metal Fatigue” bursts with an impressive ambiance that resembles the late eighties and early nineties synth music, with a subtle homage to sci-fi movie soundtracks. Still, Tangerine points out some fundamentals of ambient and downtempo music, making this composition levitating in so many directions at once. That’s the way clever artists do, and Luke Tangerine is unquestionably one of them.
“Subway Romance” is coming up next, with its half-time rhythmic structure that immediately points out even more explorations into many sonic directions. This time, Luke Tangerine incorporated fusion jazz, modern jazz, and classic jazz elements, vividly hearable in fretless bass lines and nearly analog drumming. Of course, the synth also reigns supreme here, but they’re more subtle, leaving more way to grand piano themes and leads. The artist made a wise decision and incorporated heavily distorted basslines, replacing a cello. Like every Tangerine’s piece of work, “Subway Romance” has a complex structure, but it’s actually an easy-listening number with many exceptional moments. It goes far away from anything Luke Tangerine produced so far, proving he’s a versatile artist capable of recording in every music genre.
“Urban Echoes” commences in the same manner, with delicate keys serving as an overture. Unlike many of Luke Tangerine’s songs, this particular composition carries that familiar eighties goth pop, indie, and new wave vibes. However, the artist spiced things up with some glitch maneuvers and electronic beats. “Urban Echoes” continuously levitates between ultimately detailed instrumentations and minimalistic moments where only a couple of instruments struggle for dominance. This track sounds exceptional whenever you like complex or minimal instrumentations, thanks to Tangerine’s ability to handle both situations like a pro. It’s good to mention that complex segments carry dozens of expertly arranged synth layers, delivering ambiances, chord progressions, themes, and leads, while minimal moments deliver marvelous atmospherics and thematics only. The low-ends roar beneath throughout the entire track, while the rhythmic sequences dictate groove and tempo, and keep everything in line.
This marvelous extended play release closes with “Letter From Non-Existent City,” another magnificent mid-tempo song that like the remainder of the material carries a calm, soothing, relaxing, nearly ethereal atmosphere. Luke Tangerine is a master of his craft, delivering nothing but premium ideas and musicianship to the table. This song seems slightly calmer than the other, but there lies the beauty of it. The soothing atmosphere contributes to the hearability of all the involved instrumentations, leaving more space for the listener to grasp everything this prolific artist wanted to achieve with this material. However, that doesn’t mean he left complex instrumentations from it. Quite the contrary, “Letter From Non-Existent City” may possess a cathartic ambiance all the way through, but it nurtures that intricate musicianship showcased in the previous tracks. It’s such a treat for the listening apparatus and a perfect closure to this magnificent EP.
“Urban Echoes” deserves your attention because Luke Tangerine showcases all his clever ideas through engaging leads, themes, melodies, harmonies, chord progressions, ambiances, low-ends, and beats. His ability to fully stack each composition with a dozen layers without spoiling the harmony goes beyond comprehension so many times throughout the entire EP. You should put this release on your radar as soon as possible. The EP is available on all streaming platforms. Don’t miss it!
Source: thoughtswordsaction.com
