In a world of harsh drops and ever-growing bpm, it’s easy to forget the origins of electronic dance music.
A new album, blending Chill EDM with some synthwave/retrowave elements named Awakening is a refreshing reminder of where the genre started, and its creator, Germany-based producer Badidol, certainly deserves praise for his craft.
With its emphasis on melody and atmosphere. The album is a perfect blend of old and new, with nods to the past while keeping one eye on the future.
Let’s now delve into the album itself, discovering what is there to praise and why you should consider listening, if not directly buying, this work of art.
And now let’s get on with the full music review!
Awakening - Luca's Take
This album definitely took me by surprise.
Synthwave is, for the majority of it, very lush and nostalgic, but Badidol’s work, while definitely being part of the synthwave genre, seems to be delving deep into what I’d call “underground club” vibes instead.
I personally feel no nostalgia from this album.
What I get instead, is the desire to just close my eyes and move, vibing to the sounds in the vastness of a dark and quiet space.
The album definitely has some very strong EDM influences (I could go to the point of saying that it is, in fact, EDM with some synthwave influences) and the booming basses and repetitive but hypnotic melodic grooves that evolve throughout tracks make me want to categorize this album as “progressive chill synthwave-y EDM“.
Luca's favorite track in Awakening
My favorite track in the album is definitely “Sorrow and Despair“.
Strangely enough, to me, it is the most serene and relaxing track of the whole album, even if the title of it would make you think otherwise.
The kind of vibe that I get from this track is very similar to the ones I was experiencing while listening to “In The End It’s All Stardust“, my favorite track from To The Stars We Return‘s album: Beyond Cosmic Horizon.
Both these tracks make me experience a sensation of peace, wonder, and accomplishment: emotions that I usually keep in very high regard seeing how the world nowadays is extremely dark and chaotic.
Awakening - Alex's Take
This album from Badidol takes me back to my first times on the disco dancefloors: it was the last day of middle school, my heart was beating in synch with the beat and, even though I was tired, I couldn’t stop myself from moving.
This album also has an interesting rhythm, which is both fast and slow, like a speeding train that suddenly stops in the middle of nowhere.
I would call it intoxicating and hypnotic, so much so that it feels like a mix of house and techno, a drug for synapses when heard with the volume knob turned all the way up.
Alex's favorite track in Awakening
Conclusions
To conclude our music review, this album is a great synth/EDM album that is perfect for chilling out.
It has a great mix of tracks that are both upbeat and relaxing and If you’re looking for an album to help you relax and unwind, this is definitely it.
Your turn to hear it now! You’ll find the Spotify and Bandcamp boxes below, as usual, so give it a listen directly here on the page and support the artist by purchasing the album on Bandcamp!
Then let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Remember: Art Can Be More!
Luca and Alex
