REVIEW: ‘SkyCityDeluxe’ by Synthwave Up and Comer, Kumiko25.
Are you a fan of College? We may just have the album for you! Coming out this Friday on September 30th, synthwave up and comer, Kumiko25, is releasing ‘SkyCityDeluxe’, an album that is sure to excite anyone who is a fan of synthwave music, and or atmospheric music that fills space and creates a relaxing vibe. With an album of this standard, it’s safe to assume that Kumiko25 will soon be on his way to some very big things.
Before pressing play, the first thing about ‘SkyCityDeluxe’ that grabs your attention is the eye-catching and vibrant futuristic 80s design. With a Tron-like space, and colours that really make it pop, the art gives you a pre-set mental space that feels as though the music will try to match, and upon listening it does exactly that. With the title track kicking the album off, ‘SkyCityDeluxe’ is a song that creates an atmosphere of calmness and allows your mind to drift into a futuristic world, much like the cover. A strong first impression where you hope for more of a similar standard, giving you a love for escapism that you never knew music could give you.
Kumiko’s talent is everywhere in this album with songs such as ‘Flight’ showcasing this. While he has created a very atmospheric feel already, ‘Flight’ is an introduction into something slightly different. The same sound, but alongside a female vocalist whose voice and lyrics are perfect for the calm feel that ‘SkyCityDeluxe’ has put out so far – however this change signals a versatility and pop-sensibilities in Kumiko25, which will only serve to carve his path on the road to success. A vocalist changes the music, not making it better or worse, but adding another element to the music that fuels the escapism and helps keep the album feeling as fresh as it did when it first started.
Much like the start, the album goes on to provide music that quietly narrates a world entirely of your own making inside your mind. It’s the perfect music for people who enjoy getting lost in an art-form. Songs such as ‘Midnight Racing Club’, ‘The Girl from the Other Side’ and ‘Your First Synthesizer’ and ‘Glitterwolves’ really hone in on the atmospheric, escapist feel to the album on the whole, and ending with ‘You Are Now Leaving’ it confirms that. A range and layers of interesting sounds that create an escapists dream.
From start to finish, Kumiko25 has been able to create music that exists in worlds of their own – with each sounding different from the last, but with the same style that Kumiko has fashioned that is unmistakable. A breath of fresh air, he creates music that provides any listener with pop-elements alongside a wider feel of escapism that makes ‘SkyCityDeluxe’ a totally non-skip album, holding your interest for the full playthrough.
As engaging as it is interesting, Kumiko has given us an album that is as good a listen as it is a good experience. Coming this Friday on September 30th, ‘SkyCityDeluxe’s is an album that everyone needs to hear, and with the lead single ‘Flight’ having already been released, there is a lot to be excited about with Kumiko25. It won’t be long until he’s onto some very big things – get to know his music, otherwise you will undoubtedly regret it.
