An very good, also kind of bloated mixtape of Natimo trying to find his sound.
You just went in an early career and already dropping 3 LPs, but this is honestly sounds like Mixtape or even a Demo that gonna be the current form. The conceptually and vibe-y is still kind of bland, the cohesiveness aspect is not comparable with the current form, compilation of a bunch piano ballads and drum-bass.
Before that, To Be Forgotten is the Natimo’s magnum opus to date, it’s one of the most impactful and memorable record I listened of this year. It’s pretty impressive to make an experimentation of genre blending from Electropop, Dream Pop, Baroque Pop, Post-Rock that becomes an easy-listening cohesive collection that I always wanted. Highk recommended.
One Path To Feel Better is such an repetitive lullaby-like tunes without vocals that sounds pretty clear with the title, it’s dragged my expectations so much as the intro. But, Here Comes The Moon is even bring more current Natimo sound with lo-fi atmosphered baroque without pop song like Butterfly’s Ballad, and have even better structure like that drum-bass drop, complete opposite to the intro. This (Precise) Flashback is an emotional post-EDM with quirky pianos and synths keys that blend together like euphoric NCS bangers and trying to be devastating at the end, this is sometimes my idea when making music. (Why) I Hate It is went into more downtempo, and uhh I think it’s interlude btw. Second Instance is highk reminds me with Ancient Love, Newer Self, an fast-paced yet slow-paced feel song, the piano key change is really good, and an current form drop too.
Trying To Let Go is kinda an letdown, the more emptier and downtempo atmosphere filled of piano that too indeterminacy and for me, it’s not very fit to the sound. Say also with the glitchy drum-bass over the song in Darker Places, and overblown Orchestra with sparkles-like piano drop. Hardfeelings is takes more potential with the piano style, and awesome basses, beats and instruments above, the idea is well executed here and the most unique style I heard so far. Hallway Crush is just like intro, it’s trying to replicate an melody from an memory, it’s an simple idea but not well executed, either the piano style and lullabies-like tuned. Lovers Daydream is like Darker Places, either from the glitchy keys or overblown, also it’s kinda too repetitive, there’s always somewhere the drop is just doesn’t fit.
In Wished We Were Together, we even see the Folk Singer-Songwriter vibe-y, the vocals is finally appear but the layer/mixing above it is just undercooked. Until It Collapses On You is jumpscaring me actually, the JOHNNASCUS type overblown beat is not what I expected, but the slow paced piano above it is kinda bland actually, and then the drum-bass and drop coming like nothing. I feel like what’s so much wrong in this album is mostly in the mixing, I rarely seeing this cool idea but the execution is not very. The World Doesn’t Revolve Around You Anymore is maybe an better take of downtempo blends Dream Pop, not very crazy? but the synths, atmosphere and structures is actually so well done. Fever Melodies is not very true to it’s title, it’s very well composed and structured, it’s maybe repetitive but sticks to the slow-paced simple and memorable keys that consistent. Sarah is an little piano ballad, who is Sarah?
So we’re really into a lot of Piano Ballads, huh? The (Distant) Souvenirs is actually kinda somewhat, the length is not push the structures into full-blown. What’s makes different in the repetitive style of this and Fever Melodies is the consistency actually, if there’s a lot to put you can add more unique keys actually. (Those Type Of) Memories is Lovers Daydream but have an better structures, better drop and better atmosphere, it’s just straight push the energy that good. The Outlook is more Field Recordings vibe-y, the birds twitter.. chirps are another cool idea here combined with consistent piano structure, the indeterminacy orchestra synths is also fitting, very chill, I like it. Close This (Sad) Chapter is an great post-closer track, I think it’s sounds like finally finding the sound, from the lullabies, quirky synths into current form drop. Paths (Always) End is somewhat for an closer to the album, it’s even trying something weird by more bass oriented and drum-bass that an ethereal and conscious. I think it’s not an perfect ending, but cool. The fact that it’s still tried to bring new thing in the last minutes is just somewhat.
// Repeat value: 8/10 // Uniqueness: 9/10 // Cohesiveness: 6/10 // Tracklist: 8/10 // Artwork: 6/10 // Killers: 9/10 // There’s filler interference: 6/10 // Favorite tracks: Here Comes The Moon, This (Precise) Flashback, Second Instance, Hardfeelings, The World Doesn’t Revolve Around You Anymore, Fever Melodies, (Those Type Of) Memories, The Outlook, Close This (Sad) Chapter