My friend Cryptochronica recently released his album Intersect which I feel is his biggest release yet. Listen / purchase links for 9-track album can be found on Hypeddit.
To me, this album explores the culture of dance music, the state of politics, and the connectedness of relationships and community. The album delicately blends genres such as boom bap, trap, melodic bass, and dub. I found the composition on the album to really stand out because making music that has as much contrast and convergence of styles lends to difficult clarity in the sound spectrum that Cryptochronica manages masterfully in the final mixes that made it on the release.
I had the pleasure of attending the release party and Cryptochronica’s tunes had the crowd moving!
You can read my interview with Cryptochronica on my review of his album Deconstruct.
Album Breakdown
Interval
This track starts off the album with a rich saw bassline that projects a danceable vibe. The track is decorated with moments of glitch and the sound design features unique textures that make the section transitions fluid.
Vibrate
Vibrate features a callout vocal that contrasts the track’s melodic leads and compliments the vibrational distorted lows. The upper harmonics coming from the low-end and give the song personality and character. The fuzz in the distortion is tastefully used to round out the sections and carry the song’s narrative.
Point me to the freaks
This trap track has a great vocal that sits on top of the track and brings the listener along on a journey straddling the boundaries between boom bap and bass. The 808s and creative sound design steadily maintain the energy of the track through the drops.
Intersect
Intersect is a song that allows the listener to take a break from the high-energy opening titles from the album. Featuring Cryptochronica’s signature grooves and syncopated rhythms, this track explores the connection that people experience while getting into the same groove with one another.
Pressing Down
I really enjoyed listening to the massive bass stabs that are compounded with a huge kick that fits perfectly into the bass transient. The moments in this track where upper harmonics are introduced give the track a modern feel and the bends and slides used for variation in the main sections make me want to move. This track sounds amazing on big sound systems.
The Demographic
The snare on this track is really slick and fits in aesthetically with the sound design counterpoints. The transition into the first drop has you ready for the moment when the glides and chugs on the mid-bass land. Cryptochronica blends genres throughout this track seamlessly bringing in elements of trap and dub.
Hit Em With It (ft. vtizzel)
Hit Em With It is an upbeat and dark tune that starts up with a complex build characteristic of trip-hop classics. The track incorporates eastern sounds synthesized with plucky envelopes and hip hop vocals. Cryptochonica saves a massive bassline for the second drop that maintains the energy of the track that he opened up with. This track is another great example of how you can incorporate melodic elements with big bass elements without cluttering the mix.
Empires Fall
Empires Fall is a beautiful track that has a big low end sound that the vocals sit perfectly on top of. The track has some square wave glitter that shines through at moments throughout the track giving it an airy feel like floating. The song explores the cyclical nature of establishment and disestablishment – the bigger you are the harder you fall.
Tides
This track features melodic and vocal elements taking turns, calling and responding to each other. When the vocals take center stage the track allows for a groovy and danceable moment. The track has a monster breakdown moment where the song fades away into a crushed out pause. To wrap up the album there’s a tremendous second drop with a huge variety of sounds that fit into moments to keep the listener engaged. My favorite moment in the album is when the low end goes away at the end of the track and there’s just a beautiful melody sitting in space.
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