VaporLoQ

2021/09/30

Overall Impression:     

Musically immersive and brimming with passion, VaporLoQ's "Mother Help Me" takes listeners on an instrumental voyage through emotionally rich and tonally lush dreamscape - driven by skillful piano and sweet synthetic strings for a rollicking Rock sound with deeply Classical sensibilities!

Strongest Point(s):

The performative energy on display in "Mother Help Me" is infectiously engaging - wasting no time in locking the listener into the experience with bold sound design and a brilliant sense of forward momentum!  The piano work takes center stage, carrying both the underlying rhythmic current and overarching harmonic narrative of "Mother Help Me" with skillful style.  Small but significant post production elements further enrich the soundscape with a sense of depth and character - allowing the final moments of the experience to linger dreamily in the listener's consciousness.

Target Audience Appeal:

Fans of emotionally dense and energetically captivating instrumental Rock will fall headlong into the sonic space that VaporLoQ is so skillfully crafting - with the immersive experience contained in "Mother Help Me" serving as a bold introduction to the developing artist as well as a strong promissory note of even more to come! This is great work, all around!- Jon W.

Artist target suggestions:

Coldplay, Muse, Vampire Weekend, Hozier, U2, Imagine Dragons, Ben Howard, Foster The People, Seafret, OneRepublic, George Ezra, Jason Mraz, Ben Folds, Dermot Kennedy, Sara Bareilles, Joshua Kadison, James Blunt, Sam Smith, Christina Perri, The Lumineers, Kye Sones, Ed Sheeran, Rick Wakeman, Guy Protheroe

About the Reviewer:

Jon Wright is a trained multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and music educator with nearly twenty years of experience in the field. Working with musicians and their individual sounds is his passion and profession, and he strives to interact with and understand every aspect of the production process - from theory and songwriting to recording and mastering. He continues to teach students of all ages and is currently collaborating with artists across a wide range of genres.

Vocals: Not Applicable
Lyrics: Not Applicable
Instrumental Performance/Execution: Strength
Melody/Rhythm: Strength
Arrangement/Flow: Strength
Recording Quality/Overall Mix: Strength

2022/04/21

Overall Impression: 

Crafting a surrealist soundscape from carefully selected electronic sound samples, VaporLoQ transports listeners into the depths of "The Rosemary Chain" with a powerful blend of bright and brilliant melodies against subtly discordant overtones - all propelled by intense and rhythmically engaging percussive properties!

Strongest Point(s):

"The Rosemary Chain" is a journey!  There's a wonderfully transient quality about the track, with each passing bar displaying a slight variation from the last in terms of tone selection, rhythmic nuance, or layering that keep the listener feeling as though the soundscape is perpetually transforming.  This, combined with a subtle rhythmic intensity and somewhat aggressive instrumental attacks, make for an immersive and exciting listening experience all the way through!  Moments like the falling arpeggios at 2:08 are fantastic in color and effect, and the moving harmony beneath those lines conveys a sense of depth and magnitude that make the musical moment feel all the more important.  The section of "The Rosemary Chain" that could be considered a chorus carries a nearly triumphant quality and sees the addition of even more levity through the quiet addition of a brighter, more present melodic layer at around 4:15 to satisfying effect.  All said, the song offers listeners a rich sonic space to lose themselves inside, and features a clear attention to design and detail that should leave a lasting impression!

Target Audience Appeal:

Those who enjoy electronic instrumental music with rich rhythmic complexity and emotionally resonant intensity will find themselves completely drawn into the sonic space that VaporLoQ has crafted in "The Rosemary Chain", and the six-minute song offers plenty of re-playability for those that connect with it!

This really is impressive work! 

Each note has built in overtones to mimic real chimes or bells, which creates a pretty dissonant effect in the song's opening and closing moments.  If this is intentional, then great! - it's extremely effective in setting up tension and resolution compared to the brighter, more carefree chorus.  

Overall, this is a well-designed experience and shows an aptitude for composition. 

- Jon W.

Artist target suggestions: 

Dreamers Delight, Collarbones, Ark Patrol, Dabin, Calvin Harris, Jerry Folk, DROELOE, ODESZA, Carpenter Brut, Dance With the Dead, Kick puncher, Nightstop, Magic Sword, Electric Mantis, Flying Lotus, Melvv, Panama, Chiefs, GameChops, Flume, Medasin, Beshken

About the Reviewer: 

Jon Wright is a trained multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and music educator with nearly twenty years of experience in the field. Working with musicians and their individual sounds is his passion and profession, and he strives to interact with and understand every aspect of the production process - from theory and songwriting to recording and mastering. He continues to teach students of all ages and is currently collaborating with artists across a wide range of genres.

Vocals: Not Applicable
Lyrics: Not Applicable
Instrumental Performance/Execution: Strength
Melody/Rhythm: Strength
Arrangement/Flow: Strength
Recording Quality/Overall Mix: Strength

2023/04/16

Overall Impression:

VaporLoQ wastes no time at all in setting the feel and flow of their original track, "Another Seasonal Blues".  Within moments, a swelling, saturated synth sound sets the scene and draws the listener fully into the space as emotionally poignant and tonally pristine lead lines mingle with full bass frequencies and a lilting backbeat to create an all-encompassing sonic experience.  Rife with subtle developments and more overt transitions, "Another Seasonal Blues" is fully engaging from start to finish and practically demands a second, third, or fourth listen to appreciate the breadth and depth of design on display!

Strongest Point(s):

The warmth and grit of the initial synth is incredible!  It really does grip the listener instantly and promise more to come - which VaporLoQ proceeds to deliver in spades!  The emotional timbre of the tune is as conflicted as the song's title would suggest, moving between a rolling major feel and frantic minor arpeggiations as it develops and the contrast between these feels is magnetic and true-to-life in a way that certainly doesn't need lyrics to receive.  Unorthodox harmonic decisions in the first part of the hook resolve to their expected counterparts in the next iteration and keep the listener locked onto the present moment.  A powerful solo line emerges at 2:38 and does a great deal of work to deliver narrative and emotional depth to the tune, nicely designed and executed.  Finally, with changeups being the name of the game, the final push to the end begins earnestly at 4:12 as the bass line becomes punchy and nearly funk-adjacent for this style - driving home a sense of ire as the song reaches resolution.

Target Audience Appeal:

Brilliant sound design and crisp mixing set an atmosphere that should resound among fans of emotionally dense electronic music, while the actual composition and musical content of "Another Seasonal Blues" suits easy listening as much as it does attentive dissection.  As at home in a study session as it is an RPG session, VaporLoQ's "Another Seasonal Blues" is rich with character and color and offers something for nearly everyone in its compositional DNA!

Artist target suggestions:Sungazer, your best friend jippy, Pogo, JakoJako, Masayoshi Takanaka, Scattle, Sky Sanctuary, fingerspit, Jasper Byrne, L.A. Takedown, Mort Garson, College, Disasterpeace, Com Truise, delving, Dirty Art Club

Reviewer Comments:

No criticism here, just praise!  I tend to lay it on a little thick because of the way it reads to the public, but I mean what I'm saying regardless.  There's a lot of very intentional, very effective artistry at work in this track, and, having heard some of your work some years ago, this was an absolute pleasure to review and definitely keep at it! - Jon W.

About the Reviewer: 

Jon Wright is a trained multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and music educator with twenty years of experience in the field. Working with musicians and their individual sounds is his passion and profession, and he strives to interact with and understand every aspect of the production process in order to help artists achieve their goals. From theory and songwriting to performance and recording techniques, he continues to teach students of all ages and is currently collaborating with artists across a wide range of genres.

Vocals: Not Applicable
Lyrics: Not Applicable
Instrumental Performance/Execution: Strength
Melody/Rhythm: Strength
Arrangement/Flow: Strength
Recording Quality/Overall Mix: Strength

2022/03/19

Overall Impression:

VaporLoQ gives listeners an enjoyable departure with the release of the new rock instrumental Never Before Now. The band in Never Before Now grooves at a moderate pace and carefully avoids stepping on anyone's toes. In general, Never Before Now boasts a breezy sonic atmosphere textured with punchy rhythms akin to rock formations. While this picture may not play in the mind of every listener, the track does a fantastic job of maintaining a signature sound while adding layers of colorful intrigue. The mischievous, chilled, and exciting scenes that play out across the phrases keep listeners on their toes. While the tune does have a strong sense of adventure, listeners can take comfort in the familiar with the return of some primary material. With the release of Never Before Now, VaporLoQ demonstrates a promising level of compositional creativity, attention to detail, and talent for sound painting. 

Strongest Point(s):

While the long running time may seem a bit daunting, it is actually to the tune's advantage. There is a never ending stream of material that flows out of Never Before Now, and it transitions very smoothly. This is the sort of tune that you can leave on and float away with without fear of being jostled or shocked.

Nicely done! We get many instrumental submissions like this, and many will use sound libraries for everything. This one did not seem to have the signature signs of a sound library, so it is a very convincing mix/production if you did use a library. If this was performed by live instrumentalists, they did a very fine job, too. 

Target Audience Appeal:

Fans of Rock Instrumentals will dig Never Before Now by VaporLoQ.

Artist target suggestions:

Rush, Mia Vassilev, Vincenzo Partexano, Greentwig, Brian Eno, Pink Floyd, Disco Cactus, Porcupine Tree, Coheed & Cambria, Steely Dan, 7t2 Names, Phillip Glass, Steve Reich

About The Reviewer:

Zachary Larson is a professional touring guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. Getting his start in high school rock bands, he has since toured as a classical chamber musician, onboard luxury cruises, and with the Broadway musicals Finding Neverland and Escape To Margaritaville. His recorded work spans from classical works and pop tunes, to mind-bending experimental music. His arrangements of orchestral music are published through Clear Note Publications. Classically trained, he holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Denver. 

Vocals: Not Applicable
Lyrics: Not Applicable
Instrumental Performance/Execution: Strength
Melody/Rhythm: Strength
Arrangement/Flow: Strength
Recording Quality/Overall Mix: Strength

2023/03/23

Overall Impression:

"Little Wipes" fades into a scene already in motion, offering an optimistic, cascading synth motif with rich tone and emotionally weighted harmonization.  As the track progresses, VaporLoQ's creative efforts make use of supportive and playfully erratic percussion beneath titanic arpeggiated melodies and skillfully covers the gamut of emotional intensities - drifting from an airy optimism into more complex feelings like resolve and longing.  The fades as swiftly as it began, giving the impression that the listener has just caught a glimpse of something without beginning or end - always changing, always moving, always expressing.

Strongest Point(s):

Containing a narrative in patterns that are reminiscent of Classical composition, the amount of emotional content conveyed by arpeggios alone is impressive!  The synthesized tones feel full and commanding in the soundscape, the lead tones rich and warm and the bass frequencies giving a great deal of weight and definition to the melody.  The harmonic progression of the piece takes the listener on an engaging ride and resonates deeply with certain emotional realities, indicating a deeply intentional shape to the composition. Further defining that shape, the fade into and out of the soundscape is very effective at conjuring the idea of endlessness.  Excellent sound design overall, with a clean and compelling mix across the board!

Target Audience Appeal:

Performed entirely instrumentally with cleverly selected synth tones, "Little Wipes" bears a sound signature that should resonate with fans of synthesized music new and old while appealing directly to listeners who hold any nostalgia for earlier eras of the instrument.  Arpeggiation and repetition come together to place the track somewhere on the spectrum near Minimalism while the harmonic movement is sure to grab the attentions of those who appreciate more dramatic Classical and Romantic progressions. 

This is a great track! 

- Jon W.

Artist target suggestions:

Pogo, JakoJako, Sungazer, Mort Garson, Polyglot, Thomas Barrandon, Boards of Canada, Com Truise, Hotel Pools, Lone, Teebs, Miami Nights 1984, Little Dragon, Lorn, Blank Banshee, admo, Hello Meteor, TOBACCO, Blackbird Blackbird

About the Reviewer:

Jon Wright is a trained multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and music educator with twenty years of experience in the field. Working with musicians and their individual sounds is his passion and profession, and he strives to interact with and understand every aspect of the production process in order to help artists achieve their goals. From theory and songwriting to performance and recording techniques, he continues to teach students of all ages and is currently collaborating with artists across a wide range of genres.

Vocals: Not Applicable
Lyrics: Not Applicable
Instrumental Performance/Execution: Strength
Melody/Rhythm: Strength
Arrangement/Flow: Strength
Recording Quality/Overall Mix: Strength