Linealthe album opens with a proud synth line that rises and falls creating a triumphant and powerful atmosphere. The synth drifts out of its unified tone for a second, nearly spilling out of the hard case it's contained in, before a rattling hi-hat begins to build tension. Memory Tracer instantly conjures up images of streetlights whizzing by as we speed down an endless dark highway. This robust arpeggio feels like our own internal monologue when we find ourselves in the middle of the action and through the night. AURAGRAPH slowly builds the percussion as ghostly synth feedback floats in the background. A clearing appears in front of us and we fly towards it as the timpani fade away and higher, arpeggiated notes blend with airy pads. The sound is overwhelmingly crisp, the melody and percussion sounding like Carlos Ramirez bottled it up and imported it straight from the '80s. The drums drop, giving the beautiful synths room to use their momentum, room for the pads to fly into the air. mix horizon.
A grainy sweep is thrown across the stereo fieldprecursorbegins. A bubbling oasis of sound follows, slowly unfurling as it approaches center stage. The track becomes melodic very quickly as the breathy synths move into the lower frequencies, giving the short track a bounce even without a percussive beat. AURAGRAPH draws us into a closing veil of white noise.
timelineit harnesses the artist's ability to create a thumping, infectious beat and place it comfortably under a melody section that achieves a great progression in a short space of time. A main riff cuts through the holes left by the swaying bass line. AURAGRAPH lays out so many explicit layers of sound and cadence. No line of synths gets in the way of another. Each exists in its own unique and effective space in the mix. Drums also help maintain balance by retreating far enough.
polentait was featured as an early preview of the album. The video shows how the artist builds and maintains the track using a collection of modern and vintage synths and drum machines. The methodology behind the selection of songs for the video certainly lies in the fantastic presentation of the song by AURAGRAPH's expertise in creating a precise sound atmosphere. The track opens with an avalanche of cloudy, decadent chords spreading across a luminous landscape. Out of this haze, bass and rhythm stumble forward. The heavy drum line gives the artist the space and opportunity to return to the melody, a string sound that bounces off a beautiful rotating arpeggiator. The entire track continues like this throughout the runtime, Carlos pushing both the melody and the structure little by little. The track is also one of the airier and more upbeat excursions on the album, with the overall trajectory of the track leaning towards a more upbeat melody.
event horizonwastes no time laying out a wonderfully thick synth bass line. This is the track most closely associated with Ramírez's time working on the hit series Stranger Things. An eerie wave of synth feedback swirls as the drum line slowly builds. As the artist builds layer upon layer of percussion and melody, the bass line feels progressively more progressive. He drives everything forward on the track. Wonderful moments of organic sound occur when what sounds like a screeching guitar slides in and out of focus and a snare can be heard amidst the rising noise. The title of the song is well chosen, it feels like the cascades of percussion and sound are fragments of time and space that break off from the bass section we put together. Our trusty ship, unyielding under the intense pressures around it as we approach a black hole.
Semi tropicalis another track with a surprisingly upbeat melody. Something about the pads gracefully floating in the background combined with the probing lead melody really gives off a serene vibe. The bass comes out of hiding with each turn of the rhythm, AURAGRAPH gently opens the filter and lets it breathe more.
buzzbrings to the table a synth line reminiscent of early Oneohtrix Point Never, accompanied by a clean and confident kick and snare combo. The track gives us what you can be pretty sure is the only human voice on the album. As the song finds its groove, we hear a voice repeat the word "Dront" under the rising instrumentation. Something about the percussion feels clearer, the loud nature of the handclaps really surprises the listener. An arpeggiator synth takes the lead, moving slowly from side to side. At one point it's laser-sharp and at another heady, sending delayed notes cascading through the mix. AURAGRAPH builds each part with great care, protecting a series of repetitive sections that form the main body of each track and building around them by alternating melodies and percussion. Drone begins to wrap around as a relaxing bass note repeats on each beat. The artist flies the repetitive melody towards the receding mix horizon, and the lead synth section slowly fades out.
singularityAURAGRAPH finds a more danceable groove towards the end of the album. A kick drum speeds up the tempo, letting distorted synth chords slip past the percussion before a hypnotic bass line joins the growing mass of sound. A hi-hat on every odd note solidifies the now-explicit tempo change, instead of having super-realistic 3D landscapes drawn before us like tracks before, we're thrown into the maelstrom of a crowded dance floor. You can almost feel a distorted synth flying over the heads of the people in front of them as we watch the artist from a distance creating this atmosphere. An artificial rope begins to knock on the door, eager to gain access to the protected wall of sound. Bursting with synth notes and stardust, the track bursts forth like a plant shedding its seeds and the rich synth comes to life. AURAGRAPH hits us with infectious sound waves so richly crafted and created into truly infectious dance beats.
We end with the main song.memory trackerit feels more timid than any of the previous tracks, but retains that wonderfully commanding presence. A searing synth chord begins to crumble and float in swathes of grainy, gritty sound. AURAGRAPH smoothly weaves cathartic notes into the mix to create a fluid narrative progression of the song. But what stands out the most is that relentless touch that is present from the first moment. It continues as if it were simply the wind blowing through this incredible scenery that is being created before us. The song shows (when we needed it) that the artist has a good ear for a more ambient sound. The atmosphere created is unforgettable and impressive and should arouse great curiosity to see what else this artist is capable of.
Hiraeth Records releases another innovative project. AURAGRAPH is tremendously successful at building airtight tracks that inhabit impeccable sound and structure. New and old come together seamlessly as the artist blends vintage analog synth tones with smooth, polished production. Memory Tracer offers the listener a wealth of material to explore, with each track blossoming with its own unique beauty.
Listen/buy digitally, on CD or vinyl here:https://hiraeth-records.bandcamp.com/album/memory-tracer