It is not hard to imagine the harsh reactions that await from some readers after this review is published out there, since the forenamed American alias has an incredibly devoted audience (especially in US) to nearly a fanatic point, and I can comprehend why: his take on Melodic Dubstep can be outer-worldly. This is why I truly adored many of his earlier releases in the past.
“Fallen Embers”, however, brought me to mediocrity of the genre, which comes almost as a shock to me. In straightforward words, I didn’t feel any particular spark of adrenaline during the time I listened, except for the usual Said The Sky team-up and the creativity presented in “Losing Patience”. This doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the insane back-breaking work done on this project, it’s just that there are many (yet beautiful) songs in there that didn’t stand out from the commonplace mass, sticking to similar schematics that follows the usual conventions.
My favourite among the bunch is obviously “Losing Patience” (85/100), featuring the rapper nothing,nowhere. The duo blink an eye to MGK-like Punk Rock hosting a melancholic riff, dominating guitars weaved together with ILLENIUM’s touch, focusing on the percussion. I am craving for more combinations such as this as the potential in them are near boundless.
The honorable second place goes to “In My Mind” (81/100) featuring the iconic Excision and the reputed songstress of EDM domain, HALIENE. This time, both producers to follow the same path as their older synergies, and made a Future Bass-step hybrid with classic neck-breaker Excision presence. HALIENE did a fantastic work livening the score which otherwise could have been average.
Finishing with “Hearts on Fire” (79/100) features the instrumentalist Dabin and esteemed vocalist Lights. The minimal composition is in nod with DnB elements with an impressive commercial-friendly structure that ends with a brutal drop powered by Light’s magnificent voice and an incredible guitar solo.
One could say that “Fallen Embers” is a stupendous highlight for the Colorado based act, as it radiates with a lot of potential. Yet amidst all these, there are lesser new things to admire if comparison is drawn to his other albums. ILLENIUM decided to stay in the zone that helped him engineer radio-ready Future Bass. If an admirer already, possibilities are that you already commend it. Otherwise, don’t expect experimentation a significant part of the said compilation.
What do you think?
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