Isidor - Avalon Quest: Vitezovi okrugle crvotočine
Helly Cherry
Neki se, međutim, ne plaše preko potrebnih promena u zvuku, za razliku od mnogih, stoga imaju od mene najveće poštovanje kao slušaoca i muzičkog entuzijaste.
Činjenica je da postoji nekoliko projekata iz regiona, koji se baš i ne trude da to medijski objave (kao da se stide), novosadski spacewave/synthwave Isidor se po kvalitetu i radu ne izdvaja od izvođača na svetskom nivou, štaviše, usudiću se da kažem da ih po mnogim finesama i prevazilazi. To je svakako prepoznao izdavač i najpoznatiji YouTube kanal u tom domenu, NewRetroWave. Priznaćete, nije mala stvar. Novi album Avalon Quest je, po svemu sudeći, završni deo trilogije započet sa '3218' i 'Lord of Synth'. Iako je "zatvarajajući" album, da ga nazovemo tako, nudi novu, svežu lepezu zvukova i svrstava Isidora (čoveka koji stoji iza projekta) kao jednog od najvrsnijih instrumentalista. Pesme su primetno bržeg tempa, ambijentalni delovi su svedeni, dok su melodijske linije one koje svojim mantričnim ponavljanjem, uz vrlo vešte brejkove, čine "Avalon Quest" jednim od najinteresantnijih i svakako perfektnim albumom koji pleni svojom lakoćom, a opet ima čvrsto uporište u maestralnim melodijama.
Osetni su mnogi uticaji plesne muzike osamdesetih, koji se smenjuju iz pesme u pesmu, ali i iznenadnih upliva gitarskog zvuka u novovalnom maniru (uporediću sa Duran Duran), koji reže i daje dozu agresivnosti. Kao i kod prethodnih Isidorovih radova, svaka pesma suptilno naginje ka mnoštvu žanrova, koja sažima uticaje dark synth-a (nešto izrazitije nego na prethodnim delovima trilogije), retrowave-a, ali i japanske škole city-pop/electro funka (tačnije futurefunka) - biće vam jasnije ako se setite neke naslovne teme japanskih crtaća (tzv. Mecha anime) iz osamdesetih godina prošlog veka, koje zvuče veoma interesantno i futuristički, čak i danas. Taj vizionarski zvuk se, po mom mišljenju fantastično uklapa u tematski koncept albuma, iako se pored njega u pojedinim pesmama pojavljuje i minimal techno zvuk (!), kao jedan od čudnih momenata albuma, i činjenica da sam u nekom trenutku pomislio da slušam Kraftwerk. Iako je toponim Avalon vezan za neku drugu kulturu i mitologiju, njegova bitnost i herojska veličina se preslikala u epizodu koja prati konačnu avanturu Lord of Synth-a, glavnog aktera Isidorove muzičke fantazije. Koliko su prateći tekstovi bitni za instrumentalne albume, najbolji primer daje Isidor, i voleo bih da ih vidim i u vizuelnom obliku, u formi stripa, nadam se što je pre moguće.
Smatram da je ovo do sada možda Isidorov najzreliji album, kako i valja za završetak jedne uzbudljive priče - ili se možda varam, ostaje da vidimo u ne tako dalekoj budućnosti.
Poslušajte/podržite album na Bandcamp profilu NewRetroWave-a: https://newretrowave.bandcamp.com/album/avalon-quest
Singl “Children of Cyberpunk”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-pmweAqXic
Desya Lovorov
KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND WORMHOLE - "Avalon Quest" (NewRetroWave) by synthwave/spacewave project Isidor
Some of them, unlike others, are not afraid to make subtle but much needed changes in their sound, which is why me, being music enthusiast that I am, always give them honor they deserve.
It is a fact that there is a couple of synthwave projects in this region, that are not trying their best to promote themselves (as if they’re ashamed or something); Isidor, spacewave/synthwave project from Novi Sad is no different than other musicians of the same niche from around the world - in fact, I dare to say he even exceeds them in many ways. It has been recognized by the biggest YouTube channel in this domain - NewRetroWave. Admittedly, not a small thing. New full-length Avalon Quest is the final part of the trilogy, as we can say, starting with '3218' and 'Lord of the Synth'. Even though it’s a "closing" album, so to say, it offers a broad and fresh pallet of sounds, placing Isidor, the man behind the project, as one of the most virtuous instrumentalists. Songs are noticeably paced faster, ambient parts are reduced, while melodic lines, with their almost mantric repetition and skilled breaks, make "Avalon Quest" one of the most interesting – if not perfect - albums that grabs you with its easiness, while still holding its ground in maestral melodies. Many 1980’s dance music influences are present here and are taking turns in tracks, but there is also an influx of guitar sound in New Wave manner (comparable to Duran Duran), which gives it a healthy dose of rawness and aggression. As heard on previous albums, every track by Isidor gravitates towards many sub-genres in a subtle manner, which epitomizes influences from dark synth (somewhat more expressed than on the previous albums in the trilogy) and retrowave, but also Japanese city-pop/electro funk school (or futurefunk) - it gets more clear if you remember any main theme from 1980’s Japanese so-called Mecha anime cartoons, which even today sound futuristic and interesting. Such visionary sound, in my opinion, perfectly fits the theme of this album, although a minimal techno (!) sound is also present in some tracks as one of the weird moments of this album; the fact of the matter is that it reminded me on Kraftwerk somehow. Although the Avalon as a toponym is a part of other culture and mythology, it’s importance and heroic appearance is mapped out in the episode which follows the final adventure of Lord of Synth, the protagonist of Isidor's music fantasy. Isidor gives the best example of utmost importance of narrative texts accompanying instrumental albums, and I would just love to see it visualized in form of a comic as soon as possible.
This is, by far, the most mature album by Isidor, as is fitting for and ending of such an exciting story – or maybe I am wrong, we will see in the future, not to far away.
Listen/support to album on Bandcamp profile of NewRetroWave: https://newretrowave.bandcamp.com/album/avalon-quest
Single “Children of Cyberpunk”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-pmweAqXic
Desya Lovorov
Translation: Mihajlo Janković