OUT Narel — Diary Of A Synthy Kid (Artist album)

Artist(s)
Narel
Release title
Diary of A Synthy Kid
Label name
Forescape Digital
Release date
Mar 29, 2021
Release type
Artist album
Link to external store
https://forescapedigital.bandcamp.com/album/diary-of-a-synthy-kid

Enlusion

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2020
441 Posts
523 Thanked
Age
30
Belgrade, Serbia
Website
facebook.com
https://soundcloud.com/forescapedigital%2Fnarel-diary-of-a-synthy-kid-album-preview
On his second album Narel goes into spacey ethereal ambient and dub techno, at times fusing the two. There are two progressive house/trance crossover tracks on the album, but overall it is a deep and immersive experience. Narel designed most sounds on the album from scratch and many of the recordings are live, later being integrated into studio arrangements.

‘Tell Them Of Us’ is a slow breaks track that builds with luscious pads overlaid with vocoded vocal samples, subtle melodies and arpeggios.

‘Counter Entertainment’ is the first piece of dub techno on the album, showcasing highly modulated pads, evolving layers and Narel’s trademark dreamy vox samples over old skool breaks loops, a soft kick and a subterranean bass line.

‘Silence Coloured In’ takes us into space ambient territory. Deep reverbed basses rumble under constantly changing layers across the frequency spectrum, propped up by nebulous pads. A brief piano interlude is found in the middle of the soundscape, before the full spectrum comes back and is then disrupted by a complex gated sequence.

‘Mesmeresis’ was the first track recorded for the album and really has set the tone for the whole piece. An ambient track carried by sweeping pads, strange plucked melodies, a short vocal sample and deep brooding bass pads.

‘Cortex Vortex Part 1’ is a very deep and dark ambient piece made by looping pads and large reverb tails, found sounds and multiple layers of sound effects from an Access Virus B synthesizer.

‘Cortex Vortex Part 2’ takes elements of part 1 and introduces additional syncopated riffs to produce an elegant 4/4 dub techno track.

‘Alonefield’ is an achingly beautiful drifting ambient piece and Narel’s personal favourite from the album. Pad and reverb tail looping was used again on this piece to create a multi layered atmosphere underpinned by a slowly sweeping low pass filter on a bass pad. Several vocal samples are introduced before the most delicate plucked melody slowly blends into the mix before the whole track gently falls away. ‘Alonefield’ was inspired by the untitled secret 13th track on Queen’s 1995 album ‘Made In Heaven’, which is a beautiful ambient tribute to Freddie Mercury.

‘Everstone’ is a melodic progressive house/progressive trance track with a driving bass line, layered pads and an outstanding processed vocal sample centred around an ‘Airdrawndagger’ style lead riff.

‘There’s The Walrus’ is the partner track to ‘Everstone’, using a slightly funky bass sequence and complex gated layers and a subtle arpeggio in the build up. The breakdown introduces a simple supersaw riff which carries the track along beautifully.

‘Vapour Moods’ completes the album. It is a dub techno track similar in sound design to ‘Counter Entertainment’ but descends into a driving acid riff underpinned by highly modulated pads and effects.

Hardware synths; Nord Rack, Nord Lead 3, Access Virus TI Snow, Access Virus B, Waldorf Blofeld, Roland JP-8000, Roland TB-03.

Software synths and ROMplers; Synapse Audio Dune 3, Air Hybrid 3, Sylenth1, D16 Group Phoscyon, Native Instruments Absynth 3, Spitfire Audio LABS choir and piano.

Effects and processing; Fabfilter compressors and EQ’s, Ohmforce delays and filters, Valhalla reverbs, and a variety of free VST delays. Sequenced on FL Studio 12.
credits

Available for pre-order on Bandcamp now. Gonna be released on March 29th as Bandcamp exclusive for one week.
If you enjoy music of artists like Carbon Based Lifeforms and Solar Fields then this one is created for you!
I didn't think twice when Nick sent me this album for the potential release on Forescape. Signed after first listen without any changes forced from my side. This is phenomenal.

Go and pre-order this beauty and get 2 of my personal favorite tracks from the album right now :)
 

Electronlyman

Senior Member
Jul 14, 2020
466 Posts
280 Thanked
Really looking forward to this one!
Narel - Baseline (Visceral Mix) was among my favourite tracks from last year.
 
  • Thanks
Reactions: Enlusion

Narel

Member
Aug 4, 2020
185 Posts
294 Thanked
Tasmania
Website
m.facebook.com
Thanks for the kind words. This album started as an ambient and dub techno crossover experiment after spending many hours at the chill stage at my fav festival. I was honoured and surprised to play the chill stage in 2019 and putting that set together sort of set this album in motion.
The prog house/trance pieces were old ideas (Everstone) and a direct result of buying a JP8000 and running it through Infected Mushroom Gatekeeper (There’s The Walrus). That name comes from Alan Parsons Project ‘Where’s The Walrus’. I’m a HUUUUUGE APP fan. Check out their instrumental works album
 

Juna

Senior Member
Dec 11, 2020
429 Posts
240 Thanked
Sexy album. Distant Encounters make me sink deep into the mind, Everstone takes it to the sky. It's really good feelings all round, I chilled deep tonight.
 

Archon

Gagi
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
3,913 Posts
2,809 Thanked
Great album. Had my doubts from the preview but they have all been proved wrong once I put my headphones on and listened to the whole thing. Fantastic stuff. Really can't choose my favourite. Every track is great in its own way. Loving the synth work, you can clearly hear how much effort went into this.

Here's the Bandcamp embed (the entire album, make sure to rewind to 1st track if it's not there already):

 

Hensmon

Admin
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
3,109 Posts
2,606 Thanked
UK
Fantasitc album, loved the diversity of tracks and general feel of the entire approach. This one below is my favourite so far and now the ToTW. Nice one