Questioning The Existence Of Trevor Something

By Alex Bramer

My name is Alex, I'm 15 and also 1/2 of the synthpop duo In On It. I enjoy writing, both music and literature. I like all things 80's-whether it be music, art or hardware. I'm into many different genres, from Chillwave to Synthwave to Witch House to Surf Rock. I collect cassette tapes-old and new, and like jamming out to the early work of Toro Y Moi on vinyl. I look forward to reviewing many albums from many of the great artists in this awesome scene. 




'The Beginning (Intro)'

A swelling bass, deep voices, stern and commanding-but welcoming. Plucking synths-like sirens in an old sci-fi film, bending and mutating to a satisfying degree. The swelling bass once more-fading out to nothingness.

'In My System'

The familar swelling bass fading back in, now with a partner in crime-a deep, acidic, square synth. A voice arises-is it even human? An android? Lush and dreamy-but with a bite to it. Glitching and mutating, a new section is introduced. A happier tone than before. Dreamy pads, and plucky synths, surprisingly C418 esque. Now comes the dark tone once more, unpleasent, high-pitched sounds arise, but now-drifting away.

'Come Back Down'

 A re-interpretation, of two classic 80's hits in one. The android voice returns, a jumpy synth bass-peppy, catchy, and dancefloor-worthy.

'Summer Love'

Tuning in, filtered and lo-fi, like a radio. Rising, a quick burst of momentum. Returned to a habitual state. Summer vibes, top down, speeding down the highway. Dreamy synths, lush pads, stopped. Losing momentum, tuning down.

'Infatuation'

A poppy synth progression, brassy, and retro. Acidic, staccato bass follows, and now the voice returns. It is now familar. Arps dancing about, I want you-I need you, the voice says. A breathy solo, then back to the voice. Ending in a glitchy, detuned, mess of percussive fun.

'Searching'

Remix of DJ Ten's The Inner Voice. A haze of dreamy voices, swelling basses, and delayed snares. A rush of excitement rushes throughout, and then back to the bass progression, catchy, quick, and staccato.

'1st Wave (Interlude)'

Spacey arps rise and dance about a bed of deep noise. Where am I? Am I in space? This is just a dream. The first of many.

'So Far Away'

Lazerhawk cover. Dreamy synths and guitar twinkle in the stars. Deep, bass arps and heavy drums dance about. Retro toy tom samples flicker between pulses. I see a battle, between spaceships. What are they fighting about? I wonder-about these things.

'Mechanical Love'

Cover of Com Truise's Hyper Lips. Brass arps dancing, thick drums, the occasional clap or two. A deep progressing square bass, mellow and excited at the same time. A trip into an alien world perhaps.

'Sega Genesis'

Cover of Grimes' Genesis. The familar bass progression, only now with a new voice, different than before. The android-esque voice replaces the once shrill and lush voice that once filled the void before it.

'Chun Li's Revenge (Interlude)'

Retro arps dancing, 8bit synths chirping-like birds, cyborg birds. Downsampled drums, like sound effects-explosions.

'Into Your Heart'

Remix of Miami, by Jasper Byrne. Sounding like M83, a darkness surrounds-it is night. Driving down the streets of miami, driving all night, driving right-into your heart.

'Something About You (Remix)'

More bitcrush goodness-only now, in a more downtempo style. Slow, progressing, head bobbing the whole way. Effected and delayed vocals add a layer of atmospheric bliss-like floating in space-only as your planet behind you is exploding-in slow motion.

'2nd Wave (Interlude)'

Dreamy, lush-but building tension. Once again I must ask-am I in space, floating? Or is it a dream? A slight eeriness, confusion maybe.

'Stay'

Dreamy synths, deep, progressing drums. Voices, asking you-stay. A slight darkness surrounds, retro tom samples here and there. A haze, an aura, an ambience.

'Enjoy The Silence'

Cover of the classic Depeche Mode track. An ambience is formed, dreamy, and dance-floor worthy with the deep pulsating drums, and stiff, staccato bass jabs. The once android sounding voice is now revealing a more human side, making me wonder-it must have been programmed well.

'What Is Real (Outro)'

Synth arps fill the void-like stars passing my gaze. Floating uncontrollably, in a deep sleep. But this fades, as momentum is gained. Thick, reverbed drums and a mean bass arp rise. You have awoken from your deep sleep. Still in a dream-like state, you ask-what is real?


Trevor Something presents the Trevor Something Does Not Exist album on his Bandcamp page here and this album comes highly recommended from Synthetix.FM as a departure from reality into realms where what is real and what isn't real becomes a blurred haze of synthual ambiguities.