“We’ll start with the fact that I LOVE classic video games like Mario and Pacman. My top favorite, that also features badass music, would have to be Dungeon Explorer and Shining Force II. The music from these old-school games is legendary and it does tend to inspire me in my creative process. I love 8-bit sounds and always do my best to incorporate them in my beats. The Op-1 sampler and Roland PC MK II are my go-to synths that help me achieve that vintage electro sound,” enthusiastically shares Antone from El Paso, Texas, for Blue Rhymez Entertainment.
While we did cover past projects of the artist, most recent one having been V2.0, Osmotic sums up the Electro producer’s mastery over the Techno, Trance, and Dance genre amalgamation. Just as osmosis stands for gradual assimilation of knowledge, the 5-track EP absorbs with tremendous ease influences from popular retro games, cosmic-like vibes, and instrumentation spicy enough to stand on its own.
1. Hypertransfinite
The electro plucks deliver short bursts of mystery and a definite feeling of upcoming sound upheaval. Just 8 seconds in, the joining synth savagely sits on top and in the middle grabbing all of the attention upon itself. The reverberating effect is that of metallic water droplets.
The buildup is dismantled at about 25 seconds in with the arrival of the stringent kicks that quickly dissipate and turn into monstrous, large-sounding electro drums. The metallic water is still here as a comforting reminder of where we started this acoustic journey.
At exactly 1 minute in, Lady Gaga has been summoned. Play the record and you’ll know exactly what we mean. The sudden surge of the electro-synth alters the mood of the song making it a lot more danceable and appealing to the mainstream listener. The Dance baseline is maintained in focus while Hypertransfinite moves forward with grace.
At 2 minutes in, you can flagrantly hear the ’90s games’ influence and it’s food for the soul. Millennials and Gen X-ers will appreciate it. The motif is possessed by a bouncy feel to it. The overtly stern drums reveal Antone to be quite the magician performing a balancing act: satisfying on one side the old-school Electro fans and appealing concomitantly to the vibey side of Gen Z.
3 minutes in and we are hit with a melodic variation of the same musical sequencing. Nintendo fans will feel at home. As it nears its end, Osmotic decides to weave all of the comprising moods into one fuzzy outro thus leaving the audience neither hot nor cold. Now you just have to hear out the rest of the project for you to make a clearer idea.
2. Electro Fusion
“I like picking a pallet of synthesizers in Logic Pro and from the market as well. Then I just let my imagination take over when laying down the notes using my midi keyboard. My many transitions which I’m known for, tend to come naturally unless I am distracted during a music session. My genuine joy in dancing at the club on the weekends I have time, also adds to the inspiration. And there’s something whimsical in seeing other people dance as well,” shares Antone about the process that takes place to bring these eclectic creations into the 3D world we live in.
Electro Fusion is testimony to the matter. The song commences in a club-like acoustic scene and officially confirms the futuristic roots of the producer’s imagination. Increasingly upbeat and beaming with fun vibes, the first Antone staple transition takes place at second 26. Imagine Mario was an adult with businesses to run and too busy to go after the princess. That’s kinda the mood one gets from hearing that aggressive synth obliterating the initial motif and thoroughly taking over the song a few seconds later. The metallic scratches confer a generous neon aspect to the beat. The only thing missing are the LED lights and a sexy girl go-go dancing in a cage.
At minute 2 the silver-plated instrumental morphs into a cosmic-inspired note progression. The choice of synth singularly connects the imagination of the listener to the visual of the Universe, and why not, to that of celestial beings. After all, did you see the cover art? Antone disclosed generously with us that the author of it is Lucas Konobrocki from Poland. We like an artist who gives chances to geographically distant talents. Too many North American musicians choose to only see and hear other same-region-based individuals to move their careers forward when collaborating with talents from EU can expose you to a much larger market that’s nowhere near as saturated as the American industry.
Electro Fusion reaches its third act by min 02:30 and assumes the role of the final entrance. The celestial vibes are quickly strained to a breaking point and shortly converted into catwalk music. However, this last bit does not last as much leaving the audience yet again, with a cliffhanger.
The second song of the Osmotic EP presents the club-inclined tendency of the producer meanwhile granting the listener a series of thought-out transitions to keep you around and engaged while never really giving you what you’d expect.
3. Microfiche
Dance and Electro coming together in full swing on the very opening of track 3, Microfiche. Few moments in, unexpectedly, the drums take charge and fill up the space. A healthy dose of House Electro spice is noted around 00:53 onwards.
The starry whisper of the wobbly synth sitting on top, speaks in a bubbly manner laying down an emotional basis. It would seem Antone discovered how to make synthetic sounds speak to the human soul. Sure, you won’t hear what the instruments say if your imagination is direct and can’t concoct meanings on its own but to those who choose to see the world as a magical place rather than infinite chaos, Microfiche will resonate with you on a much deeper level.
At 01:31 a stimulating yet abrupt transition takes place almost clearly defining the end of a track and the beginning of a new one. This fresh take on the same song is much heavier in delivery and resonance. It unveils itself to be an interesting instance of electronic nostalgia. 2000s kids will be enamored.
Expeditiously confirming our take on the melancholic tune, the new flying sample goes in loops up and down starting at 02:05. The brooding feel only goes on for another minute and is replaced by minute 3 with a relentless kick and rickety astronomical synth. One can’t help but admire Antone for the perpetual ability to convey astral objects and supernatural feelings via his original choice of instruments and sonic metamorphosis deeply rooted in Electro music.
There is a happy ending to the song, however! A spectacularly uplifting delivery of instruments and curt drums finally completes the picture. This is most satisfying to the audience’s ravenous appetite for a sonorous conclusion of Antone’s work. We just got our much-desired ending. The one song that ties all loose ends from the first 3 tracks on Osmotic.
4. Isotonic
“Isotonic is my favorite composition of the 5. It just took so much time to create and it comprises the most transitions because I have so much to work with and love to include as much as possible from my ideas into my songs,” explains Antone regarding track 4. Isotonic is indeed, a personal and universal leveler. It brings forth the Techno facet of Antone’s producing skills and equals it to the very sombre sound of Deep House resulting in a marvelous piece fit for the modern listener.
When asked what planet would Antone associate his 5-track project with, the man of the hour beautifully explains: “I was reading The Songs of Distant Earth by Arthur C. Clarke and it just made me think of what it would be like to actually hear music on the planets he describes and mentions thus the titles of the songs. I wanted to be both scientific and creative. And if I was to choose ONE planet to represent what I did, it would have to be Saturn.” We’re convinced we could talk to Antone for hours about the divine inspiration he gets for his electrifying creations.
The rough-sounding synth establishes early on a mood difficult to identify for it is also harmonious with the rest of the instrumentation. Pac-Man effect in full-fledged mode on display around 00:27 rendering the experience a fun one and reminiscent of the ’90s simplicity paired with the curiosity and optimistic look towards the future.
A top pugnacious synth fights all other elements over at 01:55 and seeks to establish dominance over the composition. It does so successfully around 02:15 and hovers for a good while leaving the listener in a trance-like disposition.
The last vivid transition occurs at 03:00 thus making Isotonic come full circle and end on the same vibe it departed from.
5. Ionosphere
Ionosphere is the last and most commercial track of the 5. What you’ll find mesmerizing is the ease with which the producer navigates the otherwise cluttered beginning. By the time 45 seconds pass it will actually have felt like a mere 5 seconds of music and beat thumping.
Around minute one the flirtatious synth rejuvenates the instrumental and adds a note of tranquility to it at the same time. The waiting time sonically reflected in the pondering electronic waves only lasts until 01:30 when a very good-bye-ish motif is employed and displayed to the public. It’s merry, it’s sweet, it’s just what we needed on the fifth track.
Ionosphere, for the first time in a long time since we’ve met Antone, is the wild child who picks the colorful flowers when everyone else chooses the sharp swords. Emotionally it brings a new element of comfort and hope to the table. Something that can only be noted on the last track alone.
Osmotic convinces the audience with great swiftness and grace of the perspicacious nature of the Electronic producer, Antone. There is a fun side to the music, an emotional side, and a creative, inspired-by-the-stars side. And all 3 are vehemently authentic and worthy of replays while driving around in the city or vibing solo in the kitchen to a glass of wine and a colorful projected video.
Make sure you support the visionary producer by streaming Osmotic on Apple Music HERE, Amazon HERE, Deezer HERE, YouTube Music HERE, and on Spotify below:
Written by Mariana Berdianu
Blue Rhymez Entertainment ©2022
Blue Rhymez Entertainment 