W3 IMMATERIAL - DQ som
Alternative/Alt. Rock
Geneva, Switzerland
Overall Impression: The delicate atmosphere W3 Immaterial has carefully constructed transports the listener of DQ Som with dreamy keys, understated drums, and soft flowing vocals which manage to be omnipresent without ever feeling demanding, over ambient audio samples and ghostly synth, not to another place, but on a journey deep into their own mind. This transcendent Art Rock piece is soft and deep, and conjures up a distinct impression of the grander identity of humanity through it's ethereal male and female harmonies and subtle murmurs, taking the audience to an introspective place without offering any solid conclusions, and which invites the dense track to be enjoyed again and again with new appreciation and new perspective each time.
Strongest Point(s): The combination of audio in DQ Som is truly lovely, and everything from the light classical keys to the looped audio samples are delightful together. These elements offer a beautiful contrast of modernity and Romantic sensibility that never sounds out of place despite its diversity, and is the perfect compliment to the lyrical content referencing Don Quixote's struggle for sanity as he tries to reconcile the cold practicality of the modern world with the much brighter and softer world of chivalry that lives on in his mind. The way W3 Immaterial has written the lyrics to lean into this Quixotic narrative from a first-person perspective really allows the listener to find personal connection with the song, and to use it as an expression of their own internal struggles. The variety of background samples used and the varying swells of airy synth keeps one's head in the clouds, while ensuring that the high altitude is full of interest, layers, and new intrigue to discover.
Target Audience Appeal: DQ Som features a strong build from the beginning of the song as it continues to add layers of complication, detail, and texture before breaking at approximately 2.35-2.38 to return to a much more tender and austere vibe dominated by female/male vocal harmony, translucent piano, and glowing synth. It could be interesting if the artist wanted to experiment with a slight volume increase or the addition of one more audio element to ramp up the intensity right before this transition, and highlight this powerful shift even further.
Artist target suggestions: Thom Yorke, Radiohead, Brian Eno, Piek, Lana Del Ray, Anya Marina, David Bowie, Butterfly Boucher
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About the Reviewer:
Mary Wildsmith is an FM Radio DJ, and has been involved in both on-air work and radio production for five and a half years, in addition to working the past decade in and out of the live entertainment industry. She has experience with the fickle nature of the music industry, selecting singles to promote or discard for radio play, and engineering stage to audience sound systems. Having worked balancing, troubleshooting, and running audio rigs has enabled her to be both sensitive, and sympathetic, to the finesse and nuance of quality recording. Mary is passionate about promoting new and independent artists, and has spent extensive time in round-table environments discussing music and audio critically, and collaborating with artists to enable them to put the best possible foot forward with their art.