A DJ knows how to move you. It isn’t easy to take sounds and synergize them to craft your own expression. Modern Andy, however, makes it look easy in his new single, Lights. The track plays with its own aesthetic and feels meticulous in its craft so that the emotion shines through.
The acoustic guitar intro sets a mellow mood before the bass drum hits and transforms the aesthetic. The hip-hop beat comes through smooth as butter, accompanied by a washed-out JFK voice sample to set the mood. The beat has a smooth groove, letting the track flow as you ease into it which lets the emotional weight of the instrumentals shine through. The deep cello behind the catchy beats and weighty guitar strums creates a feeling that rests on your heart, hitting hard when additional voice clips come through.
The JFK quotes reflect feelings of a liberating self-evaluation, with the washed out quality warping the sound bytes to give the meaning a different tone. The deep voices hit hard when one of the clips cries “we have brought this Hell upon ourselves,” giving the track a dramatic edge. Overall, the track is well-mixed and deep, with sonic surprises that litter the track are easy to miss when your head gets bobbing to the beat. It creates a contemplative mood which is easy to flow into, with smooth transitions that flow well. This makes repeat listens feel worth it when you catch the more subtle notes on your second or third listen.
Modern Andy proves that there is power in instrumental craftsmanship. The artist builds the beats on top one of another, letting them flow freely until they’re reeled back in to be pushed forward, hitting you with a mix that feels emotional. It can be a jarring experience to go from grooving with the beat to stopping and thinking about the weight behind it. That element alone makes Lights a memorable track that everyone should give a listen to.
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