Style: Cyberpunk influenced ambient
Primary Emotions/Themes: Look at the cover to the album, that is exactly how it feels.
Thoughts: A solitary note swells into existence from nothingness. It proudly declares its existence to the world and then leaves with the same command that it entered with. As if hearing it's brother's call, another note rises into existence in much the same manner. This note though brings with several others - offspring of the first note. Together they form a sound that is so all encompassing that the only response is to sit back and let the music completely envelop me.
Infinity is the first track on Unequal. It is based entirely off of a few notes that together form a sound so powerful that I find it difficult to describe in words how deeply it affects me. It's hardly five minutes long, but within these few short minutes I'm able to take the music in, assimilate it into myself, and completely change the way that I both feel and my outlook on the world.
This music has the ability to change me. This music has the ability to ground me when nothing else will. This music brings peace to a stormy mind. This music brings tranquillity when there was only chaos before.
I'm sitting here and taking in this album with my eyes closed. I don't have any other way that I can truly appreciate the effect it has on me. I'm floating in the void it's creating, I'm basking in its warm yet somewhat distant glow, I've reached a state of zen.
LowXY's sound is nothing that has not been done before. Slowly progressing notes that have a massive sound to them is a concept that's been explored by many genres and many artists. Where Unequal sets itself apart though is it's execution.
While listening to this, I can't think of a singular album that demands my attention as well as this one does while doing so little. Is this minimalistic? Yes, it certainly is. Does it sound minimalistic? Absolutely. Fucking. Not.
Unequal does so much with so little, that it's nearly criminal. LowXY has managed to create a masterpiece while using some of the simplest melodies and sparest execution that I'm aware of. If that is not the work of a master artist then I don't know what is.
Written March 20th 2024
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