creative_reality17 – Predominant Thoughts
Recommendation: ✂ (“Future Thinking”)
creative_reality17 came out of nowhere to release several EPs and full-lengths worth of music in 2016 and basically double that output in 2017. The artist primarily works within vaporhop with a variety of sampled and original material that touches on classic-style vaporwave, chiptune music, and IDM. Predominant Thoughts was their second EP release for Australian label Sunset Grid, following The Future by only three days. Predominant Thoughts is a strong vaporhop album with rather unorthodox percussion that draws comparisons to breakbeat music sans any Amen-break or related roll. Songs features a strong chiptune influence with somewhat distorted 16-bit-esque sounds.
The album has inconsistent volume that might be a creative choice but comes across as somewhat jarring. “Future Thinking” begins with a ear-splitting electronic scronk that immediately lowers in volume and never gets back to that level for the rest of the release. In comparison, the first minute of “Electro freaking” is so compressed in mid-range that the switch to higher-BPM percussion as the track progresses is off-putting yet not consciously-performed. creative_reality17 now revels in bizarre production choices and, but at this point in their release schedule, such choices come off as experiments that may be interpreted as a vaporwave demo than a fully-fleshed out release. Still, “Future Thinking” is worth grabbing, despite the initial volume blast.
Tracklist
1. Future Thinking – (2:45)
2. Thinking of Success – (3:23)
3. Electro Freaking – (3:08)
4. Flowing Through – (2:58)