This Is a Music Collective

The following is a Hypnotist review by Matthew Forss. He gave the album a rating of 4 Stars (out of 5). Thanks for that. Hypnotist will be available on Valentine’s Day, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013 on CD Baby as a digital download for the price of a specialty latte: $4.75. Physical CDs will follow, with a featured illustration commissioned by Asbury Park-based M Studio. The album will be in the iTunes store at default pricing. Read the review below.

Review:

New Jersey-native, Adam De Lucia, releases Hypnotist, a new instrumental album with several songs that combine the worlds of jazz with the modernism of electronic programming. The result traverses a fine boundary between new age and improvisational with equal amounts of jazz fusion without confusion.

“96 Heart Beats Per Minute” opens with a jazzy drum beat that is spacious and lounge-friendly throughout. The drum beat is joined with a laser-like horn line and crystalline guitar sound with reverberating synth sounds that add a layered effect. A fluid, almost chime or bell-like tone adds a little variety mid-song. However, the laid-back jazzy track contains a little guitar work that is vibrant, but reserved enough to still call it pure jazz. The drum-work as a whole is not particularly varied and innovative, but the rest of the instrumentation brings to life the jazz ambiance probably intended.

“The Dream” begins with a vibrant bass rhythm and various electronic horn sounds with a lively percussion set that is upbeat and classic experimental contemporary jazz. A little throbbing laser-like electronic sounds morph the song into a sort of spacey new age anthem with symphonic, almost rock instrumental qualities without the typical rock angst. The latter half of the song includes a light, rumbling guitar tune that ends with a carnival-esque sound seemingly borrowed from a group like the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. However, the song is still uniquely Adam De Lucia all the way.

“Cycle Plus One” opens with a bit of spacious keyboard washes and cymbals with a few drum beats. There are pizzicato-type sound effects and sparkling synth sounds that almost resemble a bit of new age transcendence. The new age effects are quickly changed to a sort of jazzy, lounge track with scintillating and rippling guitar work. The keyboard washes are utilized throughout, while a little piano work adds a lead in to the jazzy bass, horn-like sounds, and snare drum-type sounds. The fluid bass sounds are iconic and memorable during the latter half of the song. There is a bit of everything in this song, which ends as cinematic as it begins. Read More »