Insight & Critique
  • DAC
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact

byson - Audiology

11/26/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
BYSON

Audiology
self-released; 2014

3.7 out of 5

By Jamie Robash



A change of scenery can have a great influence on the mind, body and spirit; a change which is often for the better. And if you’re an artist, this change will definitely make its way into your work. The Seattle based singer/songwriter BYSON knows about change all too well, having left Las Vegas to move to Seattle, Washington, two places that couldn’t be more different from one another. Inspired by this change of scenery BYSON began to shift his influences from lyrical bands towards the genres of new age and ambient music. He described the process as being very freeing and that he was then able to write “things from an open point of view and stopped thinking about the rest of the world and the music that was a driving force for it.”

BYSON’s debut album Audiology is stylistically a blend of ‘80s techno-pop tunes with bits of folksiness and tinges of Americana. Tonally the album has a very haunting feel, much of which may stem from the fact that BYSON wrote these songs alone in the dense woods of Seattle’s Discovery Park. 

Loneliness is another theme that Audiology is immersed in. It begins right away on the rock and synth- based lament “Alchemy” and continues right on into the pop-centric danceable beats of “Factoria.” BYSON doesn’t hold back the emotion for very long as is demonstrated on the sad-song balladry of “Mora.” The ambient sadness continues with the softly sung “Paragon,” which over the course of the track begins to pick up with hollow bass beats that sound a bit clubby though given the sad lyrical undertones, one can surmise the song probably wasn’t intended for the dance floor. 

Ironically enough the next track “Commodore” is perfect for the dance floor with its sparkly synths and well-timed beats. “River” comes out of nowhere with an acoustic guitar, which as the song progresses goes away to be replaced by keyboards and starry sounding loops. “Effigy” works much the same way, only it begins with a clean keyboard riff and BYSON singing, and then it eventually becomes another synth soaked track, which one begins to notice shares many similarities to many of the previous tracks on Audiology, a characteristic which fans of ambient and new age style music may choose to overlook.  However it is the one thing I cannot overlook. As the saying goes, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” And even though Audiology marks a change in BYSON’s career and sound, he isn’t necessarily bringing any change to a genre that is already brimming over with machine made beats and fanciful keyboard riffs. He may not be reinventing the wheel but this is an accomplished album that is not to be missed.
official website
Tweet
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

       Critique/insight

    We are dedicated to informing the public about the different types of independent  music that is available for your listening pleasure as well as giving the artist a professional critique from a seasoned music geek. We critique a wide variety of niche genres like experimental, IDM, electronic, ambient, shoegaze and much more.

    Tweets by divideanconqer
    Are you one of our faithful visitors who enjoys our website? Like us on Facebook


    Archives

    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

Company

About
Contributors

Newsletter

Newsletter
Book Your Band
© Divide and Conquer 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • DAC
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact