Album Review

“Milky Way Rising” by Hourstone

When it comes to making pop music that isn’t all about the tired stereotypes that have driven so many of its most ardent supporters away from the genre, few do it better than Hourstone does. The solo artist and frequent indie collaborator has been cutting some magnetic music in the last few years, and in his most recent effort “Milky Way Rising” featuring none other than the talented Amanda Kang, he arguably goes bigger than ever. Conceptually speaking, Hourstone is determined to expand on a fluid style of arranging introduced to us in previous releases by incorporating additional elements of instrumentation into the fabric of his sound, rendering what can only be described as a new strain of techno-inspired pop that is as rooted in balladry as it is an old school club beats.

With Kang by his side to emotionally colorize the lyrics in the song, this player tears through the rhythm of the track with a swagger that is unlike anything we’ve heard from him before, proving himself to be one of the most confident and charismatic performers of his currently-exploding scene along the way.

Produced with exquisite attention to detail, Hourstone ensures that every intricate facet within the tonality of the music is given VIP treatment behind the soundboard in the song. Every part of the mix is contributing to the larger narrative in “Milky Way Rising,” starting with the soothing radiance of the synth-born melody chasing the bassline in the background.

It helps to keep the intensity in Amanda Kang’s sensuous lyrics firing on all cylinders by breaking down some of the ominousness in the beats, but moreover, it adds a layer of melancholic undertow to the mood in the verses that wouldn’t be there otherwise. When Kang takes over the epicenter of the groove, the bass is toned down a bit, and the space that it leaves behind in the master mix is quickly filled by an exotic serenade which is as much of a reason to pick up “Milky Way Rising” as Hourstone’s definitively clever arranging is.

If you’ve yet to hear the music of Hourstone, this single is an optimal way to familiarize yourself with his skill set and the enthralling charm that he tends to unleash in every track that he shares with the public. I’ve been keeping a close eye on his career for a minute now, and I must say that, while I was expecting a lot out of this song, I never anticipated being as enamored by the highly stylized cosmetics of either as I was. The concept for “Milky Way Rising” is, much like the single itself, a kaleidoscopic effort from all angles that focuses on the might of its melody more than anything else. Neither Hourstone nor Amada Kang have submitted anything of a subpar quality to the fans to date, and with “Milky Way Rising,” this pair takes an evolving sound to a level of engagement that I cannot wait to hear a lot more of shortly.

Bethany Page

Tweet LinkedIn PinShares0

Related Topics:Hourstone milky way rising music review

Up Next

“Once Upon a Time” by Universal Dice

Don't Miss

Edie Yvonne shared a vibrant sound “Sometimes”

Honk Magazine

Album Review

Saint Escape sets the past on fire with latest release “Look At What You Made”

Saint Escape isn’t here to reconcile the past, they’re here to torch it. Now, with the release of their new single “Look At What You Made,” Saint Escape have unleashed a punishing, nu-metal-infused anthem that just sounds like an equal measure of reckoning and release. It is loud, confrontational, and honest, exactly what a purging rock record should be.

Produced and mixed by Joe Rickard, Starset, Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin, the track delivers a tight punch that fuses wild aggression and arena-sized power. “Look At What You Made” doesn’t stop. Rickard’s slick production redoubles Saint Escape’s raw edge rather than sanding it down, and the song takes on a huge, modern rock sound without losing its bite.

“Look At What You Made” is a primal response to toxic authority figures, the kind who kept order through fear, misinformation, and control, and knew where best to leave emotional scars. On “Look At What You Made,” the anger boiling beneath the surface becomes something purposeful, an anthem for anyone who’s been moulded by manipulation and left in its wake. The effect is communal shake-off, a determination not to be shaped by the past.

Album Review

Big O redefines artistic evolution with “When it’s Not Said, But Done” album

Big O’s “When it’s Not Said, But Done” is a whisper of transformation narrated through rhythm, texture, and space. Across its fifteen tracks, spanning just under forty-seven minutes, Big O sacrifices flash for feeling and ego for essence.

The production feels like an artist who has finally quit chasing something external and is instead listening inward. The flow of the album is methodical but organic, with each track leading into the other as if they were diary entries. On “Free Spirit,” Big O creates a soundscape that embodies freedom in action, with rhythms that propel you forward. It’s one of those rare songs that can be at once contemplative and propulsive, with a slow revelation. And also, “New Found Joy” is an anthem for rebirth.

Big O’s production vision here is sweeping and cinematic, but also intimate. The presence of live musicians gives an organic texture. Jeronimo G’s xylophone on track nine tolls like an intimate conversation, while IB Delight’s saxophone on track ten blows satisfying warmth and longing into the mix. These collaborative moments are the crucial parts of Big O’s unfolding language.

Every choice, from the minimal artwork by Andriyan Robby to the in-house mixing and mastering by Big O himself, is consistent with the album’s spirit of transformational thought. In “When it’s Not Said, But Done,” Big O has created a statement on silent courage. It is an album for those who know that, in reality, real change does not need to be shouted from the mountaintops, but only heard, felt, and lived.

Connect with Big O on Facebook | Instagram | X |