Brothertiger always makes music that feels somewhat nostalgic to me, with clear influence from the 80s and modern electronica to create something somewhat like a vaporwave style that can get somewhat psychedelic at times. I’ve been following him since about 2016, and he continues to impress me. I really like his cover of “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”, originally by Tears For Fears, on his album, Brothertiger Plays: Tears For Fears Songs From The Big Chair (2017). I just learned today that he put out a new album on June 5th of this year, so I’m stoked to check it out. With that said, I’m going to jump on into the album.
“Cascade” has a very mellow spacey soundscape right off the top. There’s almost a heartbeat feel to it, and then the drums come in. Brothertiger tends to have great drums in his songs than build up expectations and then change ever so slightly, but in a very noteworthy way. This one seems to be an instrumental, at least at the moment. Oh wow, the drums and melody of the song really slowly build up on one another, really adding layers to the song. Oh wow, I’m not really experienced with writing about electronica, but the effects in this one are pretty sweet, and have really epic moments. I’m really finding myself lost in the soundscape – almost in a daze of sorts. Oh wow, the outro is very solitary, but keeps the beat of the song going.
“Tide Pool” picks up almost exactly where the previous track left, but there is a slight difference in the beat. There’s also the addition of this very deep sounding layer in terms of tone. Oh wow, the song really builds and almost breaks through at a certain point. There’s no lyrics in this one either at the moment – I’m not sure if there will be any on the album at this point. I’m beginning to think that the album is named the way it is for partially that reason, though that’s just speculation. Wow – I’m really digging the album at this point. It’s got such a chill vibe, though the drum has such a relaxed sound that’s quite strong, and gives the song a good backbone. Again, this song ends with some solo percussion.
“Windjammer” picks up exactly where the high hats from the previous song left off, as the addition of other layers come in. It’s almost an almost milky ethereal sound that is produced. Wow, there’s something with a ton of reverb on top, and then some super silky singing from a woman comes on, though not necessarily in the form of any lyrics. Wow, that reverb layer almost acts as a type of distortion. I really dig the drums – they almost swirl around the song and other layers, but not necessarily from left to right, almost in and out and up and down instead. Wow, there’s a heavily synthesized vocal layer in there now, though no distinguishable lyrics. There’s almost some distinguishable lyrics as the song ends.
“At Dusk” picks back up with those synthesized vocal layers, though they seem to be a bit more reverberated at this point in time. It’s almost like Brothertiger is teasing a line at this point, but the song keeps building around those synthesized layers. Wow, the percussion is sweet. I really dig the high hats and how they’re arranged. The drums are always so simple sounding on first glance, but everything is done intentionally, it would seem. Woah, there’s a new main melodic hook at this point, and it sounds like it’s almost building up to a drop at this point, but instead it just keeps chugging along and almost breaks through to a new layer of music as it does. Very awesome, in my opinion. This song is really sweet, the high hats really keep churning along as the song nears its end. This is the first song to really completely fade out at the intro.
“Bottom Turn” sounds like I just put in a VHS from the 80s into a VHS player on a rainy day in terms of vibe. There’s almost a tinniness to the song – I quite like what’s happening musically here. Wow, I really love the drums in this one. Every beat is so succinct, but really keeps the track rolling along. The melodic part of the song definitely has that vaporwave sort of feel to it. I love the little chimes in the song. The drums really keep the song turning around that ethereal nostalgia, and I can really dig that.
“Dawn Patrol” sounds like the beginning to an arcade game of sorts, or perhaps part of a Stranger Things episode. Wow, there’s like an almost tinny, hollow, yet chunky synth bass sound in the background, and it’s pretty sweet. Every time one of the songs on the album feels like it’s coming to a break of sorts, the drums keep on truckin’ through, as the song almost reformulates around them. Wow, I really dig the vibe to this one. The bass and the drums complement the beat of the track so well. Then there’s the dreamy melodic portion of the song that gives off a feeling of bewilderment as you’re lost in the tune. Really sweet track in my opinion.
“Tropic of Cancer” feels almost a bit serious to me in terms of tone, like it’s a ‘time to get things done’ sort of feel. Wow, the background synth is really dreamy, like the swirl of a soft serve ice cream cone in the midst of summer. This one takes things a bit slower, it seems, as it feels to me like the most emphasized beats are further apart, though I don’t know for sure. Wow, the way the track seems to build around the drums is really awesome. Wow, there’s a really awesome moment where the tune seems to break through again, at which point the song is mostly focused around the melodic hook as the drums are a bit less emphasized. This song really fades out well with that 80s-like synth that Brothertiger often uses. Awesome end to the album.
Brothertiger has impressed me yet again. He really can bring music from a bygone era into modern times quite well, and folks who haven’t checked out his music yet, definitely should. The feeling in the songs is quite nostalgic, and forward marching at the same time. I really like his work he does with his vocals, when he has them, but this album proves that he can certainly go without them without missing any sort of musicality to his work. At only 35 minutes long, it’s worth a listen, in my opinion, especially for those who enjoy electronica at all.
-A