We just received a very cool 4-star review for our new Beyondsphere album. The in depth track-by-track walk through was written by a Spanish music site called “Reviews New Age“. You can read the review on their website (Spanish) or check out the English version here.

BEYONDSPHERE

“Beyondsphere is the third album from the electronica collective Vast Days. Ali Kesanto (producer) has given life to a nine-piece album that works as a soundtrack for a sci-fi story, introducing us to a distinctive downtempo style combined with magical Gothic type vocals. For this latest Vast Days album Ali has found three amazing vocalists (Elika Mahony, Kesang Marstrand and Leeni Wegelius) who give meaning and emotion to each of the tracks. The songs work as melodic chapters that recount the adventures of a character travelling in a fantasy world.

“Seian” is the piece that opens the album. The intense and mysterious music gives way to the bewitching voice of Elika Mahony who seduces with her words “Come down to me… I surround you with a veil of my star felt” that are spoken to the main character in the story. A perfect soundtrack and a powerful song that introduces the listener into the action of the story.

“Diamond debris” is quieter, alleviating the ecstasy of the previous track. In this case, the voice that sings and tells the story (Kesang Marstrand) is sweet and affectionate. The piece is a beautiful soliloquy, a cry full of unanswered questions. A soft drum attached to the synth pad and synth lead give life to a piece that creates a melancholic atmosphere. One of my favourites!

“Talk to me Emptiness” is a beautiful and elegiac piece. The heartbreaking voice of Elika Mahony returns to give meaning to the story, but this time with a sad tone. Wounded phrases like “I know I’m just a hologram, but now it burns, it hurts so bad” demand attention to the inner turmoil. The amazing and powerful voice of Elika offers unparalleled feeling to the piece. Wow!

“Thin air” is simply relaxing. A harp played by Leeni Wegelius and the tender voice of  Kesang Marstrand support Ali’s electronic sounds. The piece flows slowly and smoothly, with the repetitive and sweet sounds hypnotically inviting the listener to take a dive into the beautiful dreamworld.

In “Bliss” we are invited back into the action. Although the melody sung by Elika follows a slow course, the percussion “breaks” and the worrying sounds that move between left and right keep the listener on her toes.

“Fractions” begins with a beautiful electronic sound that is maintained from beginning to end. This is added with a wonderful set of strings, which together with a percussion are the perfect base to carry Elika’s voice. After a while, the percussion disappears, leaving a pleasant sense of tranquility that is enhanced by the mesmerizing voice of Elika singing delicate phrases.

The most peaceful and relaxing part of this work is titled “Innocence“. The zither of Leeni Wegelius opens the theme with a very beautiful sound. Leaving aside for a moment the strong electronic sounds of synthesizers and percussions, Ali only relies on his own voice combined with the singing of Leeni and the sweetest background pads that give life to one of the most beautiful pieces of this work. This song is no doubt my one my absolute favourites, just perfect for relaxation or meditation. A Lovely piece!

“Shadow Dance” is simple and sweet both in lyrics and in the melody, with a synth lead and strings that accompany Kesang Marstrand’s vocals. Again, Ali moves away from the sounds of electronic percussions and bets successfully in a peaceful melody that appeals to us with its peace and tranquility. A perfect piece to close your eyes and relax!

The theme that closes the album is a lengthy (almost six minutes), skilfully crafted song “Revive“. It is the instrumental track of the album, and in this case, Ali only makes use of synths and electronics. A piece that would be perfect as a soundtrack for the end of a movie, as it has a nice rhythmic touch without being too aggressive. A perfect song to finish the work!

Beyondsphere was born as a soundtrack for the sci-fi story that Ali has created and which we can read on the album website (http://beyondsphere.com), but it also works perfectly as a background for a movie or a video game where different kinds of compelling events are taking place continuously. Ali has produced an album that creates a perfect atmosphere, each track of the album drawing infinite astral images into the mind of the listener. Recommended!”

Score: 4/5

Buy Beyondsphere from:
Bandcamp (incl. sci-fi story and exclusive remix tracks)
iTunes
CdBaby
Equal Dreams