ALBUM REVIEW: #09

SPLIT'S TOP 10 FAVORITE ALBUMS
NUMBER 09: 148
"The train keeps running, the train keeps running..."

Artist: C418
Genres: Electronic, Ambient, Breakbeat, House, Drum & Bass
Posted: 12/18/2015
Length: 1:58:50
Listen: https://c418.bandcamp.com/album/148

SUMMARY:

Oh man, this isn't a vaporwave album! Literally ruined forever.

148 is the first release by the composer C418 since his highly anticipated addition to the Minecraft soundtrack, Volume Beta. According to the composer, it had been in production for over five years, with a wide array of techniques used along the way. The album had been bearing down on his conscience for quite some time, so he decided to buckle down, finish the work in peace, and quietly release it with little marketing. At first I looked over this album, not sure what to expect from it. C418 himself described it as a "highly energetic" release, something I was not familiar with from the traditionally ambient music of Minecraft I had come to know the composer by. When I did decide to listen to the album, I was too weirded out by the first few tracks to think much of it. It was much too different, too odd, too avant-garde for C418.

That's what I thought at first. It took me another listen or two before I truly became hooked. Once I was, I allowed myself to be lost in the epic and grandiose sounds on display. Yes, it's not like the work I had come to expect from the artist. But I learned to embrace that rather than reject it. There are a wide array of sounds and styles showcased in the release, ranging from ambient drawn-out tracks to booming and pumping beats. It's an amalgam of C418's previous work, with new releases coupled with remixes of songs from games new and old, including FEZ, Zelda, and Minecraft itself. So let's get on the train and begin our lesson in arithmetic: how to count to 148.

There are a lot of numbers in this album. Get used to it.

IN-DEPTH:

Clocking in at 19 tracks stretched at just under 2 hours, there's a lot of ground to cover in this album. It starts off with the trifecta intro piece that I have affectionately dubbed the "Selective Suite." There's a reason for the alliteration. It's comprised of three tracks: "Semantic Satiation," "Septic Shock," and "Seismic Stratigraphy."

The first track begins with the warm and pleasant sounds of tape hiss. If you crane your head and listen closely, you may hear some numbers in the background. Remember what I said about numbers? They're everywhere. Anyways, the track clicks into place with some swirling percussion and peculiarly auto-tuned vocals. It has a vibe of relative peace, yet curiously on-edge and off-kilter. As a bouncing beat snaps into focus, the vocals begin to drone on, repeating how "I don't need you to agree with me." Simple as they are, they provide a nice focal point for the rapidly increasing intensity of the song. Most songs on this album have a tendency of starting small, rising to a crescendo, only to fall back down and repeat again. This song is no different, building to a white-hot intensity only to echo back into the mist as a new atmosphere envelops the track. The vocals change in tone, more somber as the instruments come back with a renewed vengeance. When the track ends, it's with a triumphant orchestra backing it as the chords change with a sense of awestruck wonder. The blipping beats fade out into nothingness...

...And then come right back into place with "Septic Shock." This song has a slow, steady, and booming beat to it punctuated by echoing vocal samples here and there. You can tell that this is the same structure and feel of the previous track, yet altered in a permanent way as the trifecta progresses. As C418's drone continues on throughout the center, more airy voices pass through as the synths begin to loom down more heavily and the drums add a new kick to the experience. The familiar arpeggios arise once more as the cavalcade of sound rises to a loud-mouthed blast of reverbed C418-speech that pitch-bends into the night. Distorted vocals are a heavy focus of this album, and they're used quite well at the track's end. Finally, the synths wash away as a bell-like chord takes the stage...

...And then immediately kick-start a new sound, a new feeling, in "Seismic Stratigraphy." Immediately you can tell something is different; the vocals more subdued and varied, the progression with a sense of awe, epic wonder to it. The instrumentation is slightly dissonant yet gliding, blissful, omnipresent juxtaposed with the chanting chorus insisting that "I don't care, I don't care." As the sounds rise more and more, it all suddenly stops as the vocals fade away in a slightly creepy way. As C418 snaps to the beat and a new growling synth rises, it cuts away again to snap into the main sound of the track; a simple beat that frames C418's monologue about what seems to be the futile routine of modern life. This is complimented quite nicely by the chiming chords, droning pads, and brief swells that convey *delusions* of grandeur. In a brief intermission, C418 asks "How do you feel?" before literally going back to work as the track resumes with a renewed sense of vigor and intensity. The popping and whirling of the synths, the click-clacking of the drums, eventually all fade away as the track changes for the last time. In a final epiphany, C418 realizes how life is a "historical illusion," a "hysterical delusion," both these things at once as growls and whines frame a growing power, a present finality that culminates in a truly epic orchestral sting that blows the first track out of the water. Then, it stops. C418's vocals are chopped, screwed, distorted, and played with almost too forcefully...

...And then jump right into the next track, "Droopy Remembers." A remix of two songs from Minecraft Volume Alpha, this track takes his previous cheerful sounds and masks them in an air of gloom and doom. The track has an almost tinny sound to it as sounds from years past are warped, slowed down, and crushed into something new and unsettling. At a certain point the track breaks away entirely from its flimsy hold on reality, entering a dream-like state of tranquility. The synths, of course, rise back up to the top. Once they do, the track explodes in a flurry of activity that creates one of the most satisfying beats I've heard in a long time. Every new sound, every added instrument compliments another perfectly as robotic, vocoder-like voices resound throughout the track in a much-too-familiar way. This track perfectly sums up the mission statement of 148: take C418's past work and recontextualize it, re-imagine what you can do with it. A side of Minecraft's normally peaceful and ambient music is brought out here in a way never seen before, not even in the amped-up Volume Beta. The track ends with a loud and obnoxious synth blast that makes a sound eerily similar to a jet engine taking off. Make no mistake: the journey has begun. You're in for a wild ride.

The next track fades in with a cheerful guitar backing heavy, gliding synths. This track is a remix of Disasterpeace's song Compass from the soundtrack to FEZ. Referred to as "Kompass," the song begins with this pleasant acoustic noodling and orchestral backing before the sound sharply halts. And then the wall of sound begins. A pumping, twisting, turning, shifting amalgam of C418's booming synths and Disasterpeace's mechanical and futuristic noise combine into an epic anthem of power. Brief moments of clarity intersperse the machine that is built up as the song continues, growing louder, more complex, and more varied. Momentous, monumental, and almost hazy, the track conjures up an overwhelming sense of serenity and something more primal at the same time. But then, the noise fades and a more minimalistic beat begins to play. Distorted pads wash over your ears as Disasterpeace's influence is felt more strongly than before. This serves as a nice lull in the action, arguably needed for what comes next. For just as abruptly as the harsh noise ended, it comes back twice as strong. And then you're caught right back in the grip of the machine, its tidal flow overwhelming once more. The cogs shift, pistons push, valves flare. Echoes of the beginning chords are heard before the sound succumbs to the wave, only for a moment. Then it pushes right back up for an epic finale that dissolves in the wind, crushing away quietly...

...And then give way to a peaceful piano melody and percussion. This marks the beginning of the 10-minute long epic "185," a collaborative effort with the Japanese graphic designer and composer of the soundtrack for the game PixelJunk Eden, Baiyon. Don't really know much about him, seems like a cool guy. Anyway. A steady click-clack starts up, creating a certain palate of percussion used heavily throughout the track. As the orchestra backing and synths climb higher and higher and the sounds get brighter yet hazier, the veil is lifted as the real meat begins. A throbbing, burgeoning bass pockmarked with uplifting airy chords and brief percussion stings; this is the centerpiece on display. Light arpeggios cascade around the field, shared with twinkly noise and claps of raw energy. The synths grow more distorted and jagged as the smooth, jazzy groove plays itself out in the best way possible. Growing more and more bold as the track progresses, the beat finally stops as the jagged edge lags out of the sound. Then, the track recapitulates in way typical of most songs on the album; same as before, yet back with a vengeance. Now punctuated with additional flourishes and reverberated claps, the track builds back up once more with an added layer of seriousness and urgency. The groove snaps right back into place, as intense as it ended previously before calming itself down. Now, more mixes are incorporated to change things up and to keep you on your toes in more ways than one. Then, the calm beginning and main groove combine into an epic shifting medley, the jagged edge returning as synths are slapped throughout the piece. Culminating into a pounding beat that stops for nothing, the track soars higher and higher into the clouds as arpeggios and pads combine into a zenith of intensity. Glitching chords, hazy pads, steady beats, and the smooth bassline throughout it all are corrupted by the jagged ramblings before booming into the ether. With less than a minute left, the track almost manages to make another resurgence, but it proves too little, too late as the click-clack is lost to time.

Now, a faint pattern fades into view, settled in by a comforting bass. C418's track "Jimtention," a remix of the Big Giant Circles track A Rose in a Field, starts out very peaceful and ambient much like its source material. Chimes clink across the stage as a synth plays out a very Zelda-esque motif (perhaps intentionally?) As the chord pattern bounces on the edges of your vision, a guitar joins the mix as the song builds in characteristic fashion to something much bigger. An edge is betrayed for just a moment as the song descends into the abyss, slowing and warping until it stops. When the record is snapped back into place, it's with a much faster slant. The familiar instruments are changed with C418's touch as they create a steady dance beat that becomes the main focus of the song. Growly, edgy, and bubbly all at once within seconds, this sound provides the perfect background for this song's rollercoaster ride. And what a ride it is; building with booming hits, ricocheting percussion, and the familiar chimes in the wind. Familiar motifs are interchanged at the drop of a hat as all we've heard thus far is combined into something more than the sum of its parts. And then, the beat begins anew, glitchy and spasming. It prepares its final ascent, first starting small but gradually increasing in power. The hits arise, the accompaniment flourishes, the background becoming more omnipresent and spiraling out of control. The track almost loses itself forever through the pure energy created in its final moments, but is reined back just in time for the synths to take their leave. The sounds echo away as a new chime takes their place...

...the bustling array of chimes kicks off the track "Tsuki No Koibumi 2," a joint effort with the Plants vs Zombies composer Laura Shigihara. The sequel to the track of the similar name on C418's previous release One, the song lays its foundation with its chimes, pianos, and bass beats. They set up a jubilant, cheerful, and spacey soundscape. Sparse chiptune and voices howling in the wind add a playful touch to the mix as well. Eventually, the chimes kick in full-blast as Shigihara joins in with a heartfelt vocal track. Sped up from its previous iteration in One, it sounds more lively added into the energy of this song. Bolstering the foundation with more dynamic synth patterns and a steady kick, the track blasts off into more and more iterations of piano and chimes fading and shifting away. Shigihara's vocals eventually settle into the overarching mix of the piece as the soundscape absorbs itself and rides high into the night...or is it gleaming daylight? Eventually, the chip influence is made much more prevalent with a glistening arpeggio that persists until the end of the track. Shigihara's vocals are lost in the ether as the booming bass, clacking chimes, vibrant strings, and ever-present arpeggio create a mix of pure, unbridled happiness. Finally, the sounds fade away as the arpeggios warp and skip upwards, shifting dramatically and leaving any hint of the original song's tone behind...

...as C418's presence dramatically returns in the next track, "Friend." One of the more well-known tracks on the album, it's not immediately present why at first. Starting out very eclectically, C418's vocals are heavily distorted and shifted into robotic whines and growls listing off equal parts numbers and idle musings. However, the bouncing chords and playful energy of the song betray something more powerful. As the chorus kicks in and C418 insists that "you aren't my friend," the track builds off of his layered and warped vocals to create rhythmic patterns that are capable of lasting forever or an instant at the change of a beat. As the ramblings continue, the beat marches on as C418's voice becomes less his own and more of a true instrument, a steady lead driving the song to a conclusion of cheer and pep, yet definite madness and a touch of insanity all the same. Warbly and twinkling synth patterns contribute to a sense of unease, stopping once more to allow one final drone of C418's inner robotic thoughts. Each verse marks a new shift in the song's progression, helping make it less predictable and more lively. As the beat bends down, it resurges into a dramatic chorus, taking up the rest of the song. C418's vocals and patterns swirl around him as the synths become more disturbed, less restrained. C418's own voice can be heard frantically pacing, yelling as it becomes more and more alien. The synths become almost dreamlike, eventually fading out as C418's voice finally falls behind the curtain and loses all trace of humanity. The noise bubbles and shifts, toiling around the stage before inevitably stopping. And so concludes the first half of the album, with Friend acting as its capstone.

If you're aware of C418's previous work, you'll recognize these newfound floating pads. They mark the start of a series of remixes from the composer's past. This track, "Vreiton," remixes Dreiton from the Minecraft: Volume Beta soundtrack. Bright and buzzy synth pads build up to a booming beat held in place by twanging acoustics. Thumping bass lurking in the background, omnipresent as always, C418 shifts his source material from what was once moody and contemplative into what is now powerful and infectious. Once the beat starts, it doesn't hold back. A slow jam settles in, with the sharp clacks of percussion laying out the foundation. As the beat start to get more intense and skippy, the synths develop a decaying quality to them that serves to remind you of this track's slow ascent towards its peak. While more gradual than the previous songs, the buildup is no less satisfying. More and more layers are added to the beat, with an uplifting string section, chiming bells, and a lattice of wet and powerful bass. These are all variations on a theme, and it helps that the themes are great right from the start. Suddenly, the song abruptly changes focus to a calm acoustic number. Piano and guitar are soon greeted once more with the abandoned beat. The track descends into a state of comfort, washing over the senses with a state of serenity. This fleeting glimpse of calm is transformed into another urgent beat, threatening to build in the same way as before. Before it can do so, the track ends on a somber note, leaving you to reflect as the synths spiral slowly out of view.

A brooding acoustic ostinato fades into the scene now. What was once playful is now made very serious in this remix of Aria Math, titled "Aria Economy." The nine-and-a-half minute long epic is a banger right out the gate, as swirling pads are joined by a delightfully shifting bassline. The track has a high energy (no pun intended) to it, perhaps not to dance with but more to provide a sense of urgency and inspiration. As several different leads overlay on top of each other and the main ostinato threatens to get lost in the mist, the track takes a moment to stop and re-focus. Now resuming, the ostinato has been added onto. An ever-growing sense of complexity enters the fold as the bass is highlighted by a backing hit and flighty arpeggios. The track cascades throughout the mind with a sense of pure beauty as the bass becomes more and more prominent, culminating in a slap-heavy groove. The track focuses itself once more, now with a more orchestral focus. The clinical and cold beat is juxtaposed quite nicely with the warm strings and wet bass. Speaking of the bass, it slowly begins to build and rise until it takes center stage much like before. With the rest of the acoustics having said their piece, the track focuses for a penultimate time. A new chord progression overtakes the song as whirling guitars and harps highlight the newfound rhythm. The track reveals its true nature and ultimate power, yet only for a moment. Now, the true build begins. Everything learned thus far is slowly applied into an epic breakdown. The booming bass, the obstinate ostinato, swirling synths, and chirping chimes are all recontextualized into this new progression and flow. The result is one of the most satisfying sounds I have heard in a long time. Everything in this final part compliments each other almost perfectly, with the song recapitulating in a well-deserved spotlight and finish. The beat fades into the background much like before as a new one takes center.

This track features synth pads almost opera-like in nature. With no time to spare, the "Biome Party" (a remix of the track Biome Fest) starts off with a steady and fast-paced beat, comparatively speaking. Toe-tapping hi-hats offset the blipping synths fading into view. Then, we get a closer look at these pads, haunting in nature yet eerily beautiful. In another time, they may have been used to display the world as we know it. But now, they're used to show an ever-changing and constantly shifting reality of numbers. As the track continues to build in its intensity, the key player is the percussion, more dynamic than has been seen before on the record. Decaying and dying piano numbers flit in and out of focus as well. Suddenly, around halfway through the song, buzzy and light synth tracks come into view, shifting focus on the track into something almost uplifting. Chimes almost lost in the wind compliment the high-octane synth patterns and rhythmic intensity on display in this wondrous track. Suddenly, the bells echo into nothingness as the beat too decays in an abstract manner before warping back into place. These moments of clarity help to break up the action before diving back in moments later. Now in its last moments, electronics are given equal footing with acoustics as the beats hop, skip, and warp across the stage. As the synths reach one last crescendo, they fade out into the ether as the chimes themselves blip into nothingness. Before, all we have left of the past is the once-powerful beat left to decay on its own. And so concludes the Beta Trilogy.

We're now in the last third of the album, or in other words, where things get really good. It starts with the curiously titled "481772," which you can hear a voice growl if you listen closely in the beginning. Starting off with some small and barely noticeable whirrs and accompanying sound effects, the track explodes into focus with a resounding "THREE." From now on, it's frequent patterns of booming and blaring synths with very little room to breathe in-between. The short pauses in-between measure give a sense of awkwardness and imbalance to the track, giving it a sort of unsettling and eerie vibe. This feeling is complimented by the haunting and decaying pads that are flicked on and off at a switch. The track perfectly marries the energy and peace that have both been shown so far on the record, with booming beats playing at the same time as chopped and screwed vocals and pads. This brief interlude soon stops as the main rush comes right back in, now with complimentary voice patterns and buzzy synths. The track roars along at breakneck pace as breakbeats themselves are added into the eclectic mix. The different sounds culminate into an electric finish as the track ends in a minimalistic yet characteristic manner. No fancy fade-outs to be had here, though; when it's done, it's done.

The next track, "Ample Time," is more laid-back at first. With a twinkling and floating pad to start out with, low bass tones and a clicking pattern slowly wind down to kick-start the track. With an ostinato almost sounding like an 80s pop song warped with age and stuck on loop, the track builds in intensity fairly quickly as wet synth chords join with hazy and airy vocal samples. The bass is astounding as the various beats on display intermingle with each other in interesting ways. The track starts itself anew with a flourish as the twinkly pads and buzzing synths are joined by a steady beat and furious cymbal work. The track feels almost nostalgic at points, but is imbued with a sense of pure overdrive and steady power that makes it fit right in with the rest of the album. Perhaps the vocals, crooning yet only for a few seconds at a time, contribute to this. Or maybe it's the slightly off-key pitch of the entire song, making it feel slightly unreal yet utterly fascinating. At any rate, the different components of the piece come together in a powerful finale. Different synth lines and instruments all twinkle and shift to reveal the heart of the machine powering the song itself. Of course, it all fades away in (ample) time as the beat stops and the vocals pitch-bend into the ground. Speaking of, why are they saying "all the time" when the name of the song suggests otherwise? I don't get it.

We're now greeted with an incredibly minimalistic beat and some curious tape hiss. So begins the standout "Habitual Crush," which is (in my opinion) a better version of Friend. It hits many of the same beats: C418's vocals center stage yet distorted (although this time in a more subtle manner,) a recognizable hook (actually, a few of them) and a dreamlike quality to the piece (more on that later.) The intro is short and sweet, yet also slightly unnerving. This has to do with both C418's bitcrushed edge and his sparse echoing near the end. Then, the main hook starts up. An anthem of happiness and power, made almost bittersweet by C418's vocals. Joined with bubbling synths and a powerful suite of percussion, the track builds a very powerful vibe very quickly. C418's excellent harmonizations with his voice, the rock-solid chords and constantly shifting arpeggios, and the thumping bass and varied percussion hits all create something truly...beautiful. This track warms my cold, dead, heart. And that's saying a lot. The sense of tranquility carries over for a few glorious seconds after the beat stops, but all lag comes to an end eventually. And so it does here, for the next verse. C418 laments about a failed (or at least failing) relationship, crooning on about how he's "just a lie" and how "I don't deserve you." Cold stuff, made more poignant by the dreamlike qualities on display once the hook re-surfaces. Perhaps this is the habitual crush referred to in the title; C418's old habits cause him constant misfortune, yet his crush seems not to mind at all. A commentary on the human condition, perhaps? Hell if I know. I'm too busy spacing out in these epic beats. This track truly swirls not around your ears, but through your very mind and into the core of your soul. It isn't powerful, it is power. It gives you power. Ending on a powerful chorus from C418, his sharp breath inwards brings the crush to a close.

With the tracklist now instructing us to "Divide by Four Add Seven," we're now introduced to a charming and wistful...I want to say flute? Regardless, the woodwind arpeggios are backed by some interesting breakbeats and a thumping flow. This track cycles through the same chord progression throughout its 8-minute duration, but doesn't once feel stale. Perhaps the most peaceful of any track on this album, this is most likely due to the lilting and cascading arpeggios constantly on the descent throughout the piece. Whirling and airy pads flow throughout the track as a steady (yet subtle) bass underpins it. Then, the track introduces its ostinato: a happy and uplifting piano number. Just by listening to it for a moment, you feel happy and at peace. I know I do. Despite its fast pace, there is no urgency as there has been in previous track. Here in paradise, the goal is to kick back and relax, to watch the scenery and sonics flow by you. The track refocuses around the half-way mark as the arpeggios spiral into the ether repeatedly. Then, the arpeggio resurfaces with playful string hits in tow. The warm woodwind can be heard faintly before everything stops. Then, it comes alive once more with brief periods of high-pitched breakdowns. More and more arpeggios are added into the mix as the breakbeats and bass come alive with a fever pitch. The constant progression and pattern laid out throughout begins to rise and rise, soaring through the sky as a screaming and shifting synth is overlaid over the entire mix. The ostinato ends on a note of finality as the beat stops for the final time. For the next two minutes, the track slowly and surely decays in a peaceful way. With the beat gone, the song carries itself on its powerful pads and ever-swirling arpeggios. But these too fade away over time, with more and more diminishing until eventually there is only a handful left. They get quieter and quieter, fading away into the void. And then, there is nothing.

A faint and warbling synth pad fades into focus, with ambient sounds providing support. This next track, my personal favorite, is "Round Up to the Inevitable End." The song starts off with a steady clicking beat, having been jump-started by C418 muttering a curious number sequence. Starting off very quiet and almost ambient, a playful synth lead soon takes the stage accompanied with a similarly sounding breakbeat. As the pads get more varied, a thumping bass comes in with some sparse vocals to accompany it. A repeating synth lead seals the deal: the dreamlike quality from Habitual Crush has returned, amped up to eleven. This track takes you on an experience, one you're thrust head-first into as the percussion clashes and bangs repeatedly before settling into a new groove. The chord progression in this part of the song is delightfully mysterious and incredible satisfying to listen to. The droning pads coupled with the intense breakbeats and looping vocals create a truly awe-inspiring sound to listen to. This track more than ever takes the concept of building a beat to a crescendo and runs with it. The sounds and sights all combine with each other to create a gateway to infinity, and you're caught right in the middle of it. Gliding synth patterns mix with bright and buzzing pads before abruptly stopping, getting caught in the wind. C418's voice gets warped and faded, losing itself in the cold edge of the sounds on display in this brief interlude. Then, the beginning plays itself once more, now with an underpinning of mechanical noise to it. A warm pad snaps us back to reality as the pounding lead begins once more. Climbing to infinity, the track bubbles and toils for a brief second before snapping back into the powerful progression we'd known before.  At this point, "the train keeps running" off the rails and to heights never before reached. The track transcends its confines and becomes an experience in every sense of the word. If you allow yourself to get carried away in the moment, you will ascend in turn. You won't look back. Your view will be focused straight ahead as reality's numbers and geometry round up to the inevitable end of it all. And when you see the end in front of you, you recognize it not as a negative, but just as a certainty. It will happen to us all, and once it does, nothing will be the same. And for the first time, you are uplifted, complete, and free. The experience, however, inevitably settles back down into the steady beat of before as the song concludes. C418's last haunting words send off the song into the ether just like the rest.

The penultimate track, referred to as "Beta," is a remix of the Minecraft: Volume Alpha song Sweden. One of the most recognizable Minecraft songs, arguably Minecraft at its core, is completely changed into the ultimate remix. Right from the start, the main melody decays and snaps into a slow beat. Twinkling arpeggios ascend and descend throughout as a bass warps the surrounding sounds into nothingness. Of course, it all comes back after a time as the song slowly rises and rises in intensity. Consisting of these few beats played out through the whole track, the song has a true sense of finality to it. Building up to something huge and monolithic, you've reached the hidden depths of C418's previous work. Its much more darker and sinister edge has been revealed in the way that the synths crack against each other and the bass blasts itself all over the stage. As soon as the sounds fade away and the pianos twinkle past, they return more present than before. All previous traces of the source are gone, and only cold mechanics remain. Light and peaceful strings compliment the returning piano and thundering cracks of the bass, as everything slowly becomes not corrupted, but utterly transformed and transfixed by the remix. The powerful sounds and echoing effects spiral and bounce off the walls, creating a spectacular sound that turns what was once a calming piano piece into something absolutely massive in structure. When it all comes to a head, it does so with power yet imperceptible grace. The bass ends on a high note as the rest of the synths come crashing down around it, leaving behind a wall of pure reverb. The only thing that's left is faint acoustics and a quiet synth pattern. It becomes more prominent as the dying throes of what was just experienced fade away. A nice reminder of the life left behind in albums past, it serves as a nice moment of peace before what's to come.

The final track has come, dubbed "841." A backwards orientation of the album's title, the track has much less of a traditional structure and more of a feeling. We've reached the end of the road and are now staring at something grand in design. Low and booming basses soon give way to mechanical buzzes and clacks. However, these aren't buzzes at all. They're voices, voices repeating strings of numbers from now until the end of time. The source of the numbers has been found, and it is the Machine. It is the core of every sound on this record, and although we can't understand it, we are allowed a look at its beauty. As all the different voices cascade and collide with each other, they repeat the immortal string "148" as mechanical pads with sharp edges whirl around them. Now staring directly at the heart of the Machine, the true source of the power shown all throughout the album, it becomes too much to bear. The track buzzes and ends with a massive thunderclap as the Machine's true power is shown in full force. The only thing that's left are glitches, skips, and warps. Bitcrushes and decays mask lingering voices with nothing to say, now or ever. We have looked the universe in the eye and lived to tell the tale where others have failed. And that is something to be proud of.

RANKING:

1. Round Up to the Inevitable End
2. Habitual Crush
3. Droopy Remembers
4. Aria Economy
5. Divide by Four Add Seven
6. Beta
7. Kompass
8. Seismic Stratigraphy
9. Ample Time
10. 481772
11. Jimtention
12. Semantic Satiation
13. Friend
14. 185
15. Septic Shock
16. 841
17. Vierton
18. Biome Party
19. Tsuki No Koibumi 2

IN CONCLUSION:

148 is at times unsettling, bizarre, fascinating, powerful, introspective, and a little bit beautiful. C418 was known for both his stellar work on the Minecraft soundtracks and his own solo work as well, but this release managed to combine the two in an interesting new sound that shows that C418 isn't afraid to try new things and to keep pushing the envelope. Although most of the songs follow the basic idea of "have a dance-y beat and keep building the synths until they stop, repeat once or twice" the album really shines in how each song uses this idea in its own way. Some songs defy that idea and create something truly marvelous.

One aspect of the album that I find very odd is the numbers. I don't understand the significance of them, if any. Perhaps it's just a red herring? I don't know. Several people have tried to figure out what they mean and what you're supposed to derive from them. It's possible that the song titles and different numbers are a series of steps towards a certain end result. Dividing by four, rounding up, even taking numbers backwards... I'm not sure if people are on to something here or not, and it's not my place to judge that, but it seems possible.

Of course, we all know the answer is 42.

Anyways, 148 is definitely a great release from C418. It was not what I expected at all, and I mean that in the best way possible. His immense amount of work spent on this record really showed throughout every song on it. It was interesting to hear how his style seemed to evolve over the different time periods and songs, while still retaining that core C418 sound that we all know and (hopefully now) love. Wherever Daniel Rosenfeld goes next, the train will keep on running towards it.

WHAT ELSE?

As I've mentioned several times throughout this review, C418's created the soundtrack for the hit survival/architecture/universe-destroying video game Minecraft. Check out his two albums for the game so far on MINECRAFT: VOLUME ALPHA and MINECRAFT: VOLUME BETA. He also made some small ditties for the canceled Mojang game 0X10C that are worth checking out. Finally, he's made a solo album before this that has garnered quite a bit of praise called ONE. If I'm not mistaken, that's where the original Tsuki No Koibumi is from. I haven't given this release a listen yet but I probably will some day.

NEXT TIME:

Up next at number 8 on the list is Chris Christodolou's soundtrack to Risk of Rain.

~Split