Another EP release from Henry Smola, another EP you absolutely need to add to your collection. He pushes himself to create music that is genuinely him, and if people listen and enjoy it, great. This is the kind of music that should be made, music from the heart and soul, music that makes you feel something. Read below and find out how each of the 5 tracks off Henry Smola’s new EP, The Portal (Tx 1 / Rx 0), will take you on a journey you won’t soon forget. As always, download all of his music for free and make sure you play the soundcloud link at the bottom of the page as you read for the full experience. Thanks to Henry for continually peaking my interest in music and never ceasing to amaze my musical tastes.
Midwinter
I have yet to see the mega-hit TV show, Game of Thrones, but the tagline “Winter is Coming” comes to mind when listening to “Midwinter” Off of Henry Smola’s EP. The intro synth has an eerie feel to it, like it is foretelling the entrance of some unknown being or beast that will be the ultimate challenge. The darker melody and low frequencies clash with the pitch of what sound like bells. This dichotomy amps up the fear and uneasiness, but it isn’t the kind someone would run from, more so the type that peaks our interest and urges us to investigate. As a listener you want to hear more, dive into the song headfirst, volume turned all the way up. Then the beat drops. A complex melody emerges that is faster and edgier, rushing you into the thick of the action and giving you the courage to face whatever lay just beyond the wall.
The Sands of Time
The darker vibes are continued in the second track “The Sands of Time” with an Arabian nights feel. The synth here echoes like clockwork through headphones, reminding listeners that time marches on and waits for no one. When listening to the ambient noise within the song, I cannot help but feel myself being propelled forward by some invisible hand. Reminded, guided, towards a goal as yet unseen. The rhythm seems to act upon its own time scale, speeding up and slowing down whenever it chooses. I’m reminded of how time seems to do the same, one moment rushing along paying no attention to what is happening, and the next, creeping along, smelling every flower petal it encounters. This track combines the past, present, and future to give listeners a journey through time they will not soon forget.
Hexagram
Slowing it down for the third track of this EP, “Hexagram” breaks the mold of complexity and instead ops for a groove all its own. The ambient noises are great here and give the song volume by filling the spaces between beats of the melody. Speaking of, the melody is slow and familiar, not trying to do too much too quickly in a song that paces itself rather than trying to pump energy into the crowd. This track reminds me of hour long mixes that are relaxing and great for activities where you do not need adrenaline pumping through your system. Instead we get coolant through the system, revitalizing and refreshing our ears with a unique mix of synth and ambient pads. The deep/future house vibes here are great as it is not clearly one or the other, but something else entirely.
The Forest Grew Fangs
Complex percussion sections are difficult to integrate with any type of melody. They need to be timed perfectly with the correct balance of kicks and claps. Henry Smola nails this part perfectly as he is brave and opens this track with some nasty percussion. Though they fade out, the feeling is never lost as the melody picks up the complexity the percussion began. The background noises add to the eerie feeling I am beginning to get, as though something is coming. The title of the track reminds me that my surroundings are the cause of this, as they begin to fight back. You can hear this develop in the song as the rhythm slows as though we are exploring and paying attention to what is around us, then starts to pick back up as we get comfortable and worry less. This progression keeps listeners engaged and on high alert as at any moment their world may be turned upside down by one of the many abrupt changes that are perfectly timed. Well done.
Nyx
The final track on the EP, “Nyx.” As listeners we are brought up to speed fairly quickly, no fade in necessary. The synth plays an integral part here, allowing us to tap our foot in time with the rhythm of the song, while the tempo is kept up with the ambient noises that lie just behind. This is another track that does not need to pump energy into the crowd for them to enjoy it, sitting back and relaxing is the perfect method for enjoying Nyx. Just when you find that sweet spot, Smola hits the listener with up-tempo melodies that liven the place up, getting the show going and have us struggling to tap our foot without nodding our head and getting fully into the music. I love when a song comes out of nowhere and gets your entire being involved, from contemplating the meaning of the title, to your body uncontrollably moving with the music and your heart pounding in your chest trying to feed you enough energy to sustain your level of interest. Luckily, the reprise provided by the song is enough that you can continue through all 7 and a half minutes without pause, something legendary producers such as Deadmau5 accomplish regularly.
After listening to the entire EP, I am still unsure as to what the title is referencing, though my conversations with Henry about this EP reveal that the second half of it will be titled in such a way that it will all make sense. I am impressed by the high level of production that Smola holds himself to as each track sounds polished and clean, something some young producers do half-heartedly in order to get their music out. Don’t forget that all of Henry Smola’s music is free off his website and you should absolutely go download all of it this moment, after you hit play on the soundcloud link below of course. Here is a link for the direct download of the tracks, just in case! Thanks again to Henry for allowing me to review this masterpiece, I am thoroughly impressed yet again.
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