BVSMV - Dreaming In Slow Motion (Descriptions of all the tracks from this Album):
BVSMV, Bicycles Versus Motor Vehicles, Bryan Kraft, Krafty Bryzza, Big BK, The Burger King, The Synthwave Serenader, and the guy who does all the lovely art for Triplicate Records returns with EP "Dreaming in Slow Motion", that's actually longer than most zoomer LP's. At 27 solid minutes, the music is given plenty of breathing space. Adventures are on the cards, and in the hands of an adventurous producer at the height of his powers, you're in for a damn smooth ride.
"Opener Input / Output" pounds pointedly and soaks with a wave of sweet sweet ear-candy. Kraft's not shy about shovelling it out in big multiplex cinema pic n mix scoops this time around. The blistering exhilaration of the airy, glowing arpeggios as they take to the skies and remind you why you fell in love with these kinds of tunes in the first place. Oh and we mustn't forget the drums. They're going harder than ever these days. Soaked in punch and power, grittier and more rock-influenced, yet still retaining the trademark synthwave sheen.
"Imaginary Worlds" features a prominent and instantly likeable bass hook that does this cool thing where it flirts the mood-line between funky and grumpy, and the infectious optimism of the surrounding instrumental sort of gradually envelops it, like convincing a dour person to dance at a wedding and then it turns out they're really good or something. I don't know. You know what else is really good or something? This track. Moving on.
"Alive Again" is an extremely positive, affirming kind of music built around horn-ish (I'm not saying horny) keys and a lovely recurring synth pad flourish that crops up over and over to shimmer sweetly and does this really neat thing around the three minute mark where it feels like it's going to swallow the whole tune but then the percussion just bursts back in and we're back to cooltown USA.
The sublimely named "At The Golden Hour" occupies the midpoint of "Dreaming in Slow Motion", and is the first time where it does it fact feel as though someone hit the slow-mo on their VHS controller. It's gentle, and dreamlike, and although I'd (((never))) go as far as to suggest you should go out of your way to harass Bryan IRL for false advertising, not everything with 'hour' in the title has to last an hour. Three minutes and fifty seconds can do the job just fine.
"The Future is Now" wins the coveted 'most Synthwavey title' award, but the music speaks for itself. It DOES in fact sound like the soundtrack to a one-in-a-million show where the future isn't shitty and people are still making bangers like this. Laden with intriguing reverberated mystery percussion & packed with myriad micro-melodies, this track ends up being quite a standout, and a likely new favourite.
"Microcosmic Sunsets" is the runner-up for the aforementioned award but lost out due to the use of a portmanteau, another highlight. This is truly a record wherein the quality, while present right from the start, just builds and builds. An ever evolving, yet minimalist beat-pattern keeps things flavourful and fresh while the melodies soar once again, the textures of the bells ringing out gorgeous notes against an amber horizon.
Finally, "Meeting Again for the First Time", plays as credits roll, a moody yet flowery finishing piece, less bombastic, than its predecessors, appropriately enough. Synthwave doesn't blister the mind like Breakbeat or Power-violence, it invigorates the soul enough that you'll catch yourself from time to time engaging in definite dancelike behaviour. This is your debrief, to another fantastic collection of songs that'll worm their translucent melody-membranes into your heart. That sounds gross but it's actually good.
