Music is therapy for the soul. A song full of heart wears the emotion on its sleeve. This is true of Incendiary Heart, the latest from Andy Michaels. The album is packed with solid beats, a diverse instrumental offering and heartfelt personality. There is just as much love put into Incendiary Heart as it gives back, and the stand-out tracks shine bright.
One such track is “Fireflies.” A defining track on the album, the somber guitar plucks allow the shimmering synths to create a great instrumental silhouette, which allows the track to unfold in a dynamic way. There is a lot of emotional power in this track, spearheaded by the vocal duet and pushed forward by the harmonic instrumental. The raspy yet soft vocal aesthetic of Andy Michaels mixes well with this feature and the others that are on the album with his emotional performances.
These tracks are full of memorable beats and lines such as “For eternity. To be near me. For Eternity. To be free with me” that is featured in Fireflies. The soul of the album, however, is the title track “Incendiary Heart.” A track about pure love, with many inspiring lines and a memorable chorus. “Let the love of your life live a lifetime of love†is so catchy and is backed by the albums’ signature head-waving aesthetic. The soft, bright instrumentals are smile-inducing and hit you in the heart.
The pulls of the guitar strings feel like tugs on your heart as they convey the emotion of the track. It always comes back to a sunny pop-inspired instrumental during the chorus. When the track fully embraces this aesthetic it feels very special and solidifies the smile on your face. Though the feature by Tiarna Madison is a fantastic vocal performance, it is the dominant force on the track. This creates a strange and polarizing feel as it is the strongest track on the album but Andy Michaels himself is oddly absent.
Incendiary Heart is an album full of emotion and isn’t afraid to show it. With a defined yet flexible aesthetic you will be hard-pressed to walk away from Incendiary Heart without one of its many catchy lines or beats nailed into your brain. The eclectic genre blending of the instrumentals creates a unique feel and a uniting sound for the album as a whole. Combined with catchy and emotional lyrics, these tracks will warm your heart. There is a lot of personality in Incendiary Heart and while not every track shines, the ones that do are incredibly bright. Don’t let Andy Michaels’ newest pass you by, there is a lot to love.
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