The band, DepthCruiser, the album, Dimensional Dreams, the year, 2018, or so it seems. Dimensional Dreams is an interesting project for me to review as it is a remastering of something previously composed. The previous composition is "Traveling Outside The Body" which I will admit I am not familiar with and since this current album is what was submitted, I kept my review based squarely on what was submitted. I feel like there was no false advertisement when it came to the packaging of this album, this album is cold and aloof and definitely sounds like something not meant for this realm of existence.
This album is thick with atmosphere. It is clearly designed to reshape the matter around you. Perhaps it means to transport, transmute or even transcend; whatever the intent, it rubs harshly against the grain of any current reality. Layers upon layers of synth woven together with delicate electronic pulses darting across your consciousness. I respect the craftsmanship and the dedication to present all of the tracks in Audiophile format. I have to say, as an avid video gamer, I feel I have been in some of these dimensions before. When I hear this music I can see hyper futuristic racing games or me exploring some planet far away.
The video games I'm picturing are not what I would consider new titles. I'm seeing the vintage titles of my youth. There is a dated element to this music that I believe to be intentional. The reason I believe that to be true is because the music was composed in 2017, so not that long ago. This remastering was done with analog equipment, which I imagine was able to only further enhance that vintage sensation.
There is something interesting about DepthCruiser being a producer from Manhattan. I have been to New York many times, and I do find Manhattan to be a completely different terrain from anywhere else in the city. I couldn't help but think of it as I listened to this music. Manhattan can definitely be home to that cold, aloof sort of elsewhere experience. I know that sounds harsh but I mean it as a compliment. There are certain sections there that are just void of feckless emotion. I dig it. Same thing goes for this music. It never unleashes into some grandiose crescendo. It just sits back and admires its layers.
I respect the engineering and production choices made to the music to give that vintage sound, however I feel this treatment sort of held me back from fulling enjoying it. There was a very homogenized wash that coated the entire album and made it feel a little constrained. I get the feeling that if there had been even just a hint more of a modern touch or technique added to punch things up I would have been even more engaged. Other than that, I think this album is very interesting and I could hear immediately how the engineering was essentially a voice in itself within the music.
Review by Rebecca Rothschild (Divide and Conquer), 2018