Buried Echoes – Under The Same Dark Star (Album Review)

Buried Echoes has a new eleven-track Intelligent Dance Music (IDM) compilation album without vocals titled Under The Same Dark Star. According to the provided information, the album offers ‘fresh new mixes and alternate versions to offer listeners a renewed perspective.’

The compilation opens with ‘Hop Through Time Vortex (Hyperdrive Version)’. The track features crunchy synths and twangy instrumentation that evoke old 8-bit sounds. The rhythm is minimalist, punctuated by a single-hit kick pattern that appears at spaced intervals.

Following this is ‘Prime Directive Initiated (Midnight Version)’. The song opens with plink-like beeps, gradually building into a steady four-on-the-floor rhythm that occasionally hints at a hip-hop feel. The track is dynamic, featuring various percussive accents. A weighty drum kick later appears, creating a deep, resonant feel.

Next up is the first part of the album’s title track, ‘Under The Same Dark Star, Pt. 1’. The track also starts with staccato synth sounds, but here they sound more refined than the game-like sounds heard previously. The plucks are accompanied by thick steel drums. The brighter synth plucks give the track a cheerier atmosphere overall.

The transition to ‘Breakout Sequence (Alien Stowaway Mix)’ is marked by two spaced kicks, progressing into a successive pattern; however, the main kick pattern that follows is surprisingly sparse. While the usual synth plucks are present, some of the metallic plucks are also used sparingly.

‘Go Back One More Time (Symphony of the Ashen Citadel Version)’ follows. As the title suggests, the track achieves a symphonic feel through its use of plucks. It’s a departure from the album’s earlier energy, taking on a low tone to produce an ethereal sound. Beats are absent here.

The rhythm returns with ‘Embraced By The Flow (Collapsed Utopia Version)’. The weighty kick at the beginning is delivered in a rhythmic pattern reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s music. It is, however, accompanied by plucks that provide the track’s primary melodies.

‘Shadow Frequency (Cosmic Resonance Cut)’ follows. The plucks are at their most piercing here – almost harsh – and occasionally threaten to drown out the subtle kick patterns.

‘Brand New Day (New Horizons Version)’ begins with high-energy plucks, but this intensity quickly fades. The video game-style sounds return, though they function as an inspired rhythm rather than a parody.

The second part of the album’s title track, ‘Under The Same Dark Star, Pt. 2’, features successive drumming that produces a metallic feel. The metallic drums are the standout element of this dynamic track.

Returning to a low tone, we have ‘Forgotten Transmission (Gentle Drift Mix)’. This song has an ‘ice cream truck’ sound to it. Without drums, bleeps run the show. My praise here is that Buried Echoes has successfully created a song entirely from bleeps rather than having them play a minor role. What’s also remarkable is that the producer makes one of the song’s instruments produce a vocal-like timbre.

The tone is also low in ‘Dreams Turned to Lead (Somewhere Else Version)’, the album’s closing song. You get keyboard pads and synth plucks that rise and fall. This track is almost an ambient sketch, similar to the earlier symphonic piece.

SCORE/Excellent: The synth plucks and bleeps make up the majority of the sound on this compilation. If you enjoy bleep-heavy IDM, you’ll likely find this album satisfying. However, if you’re looking for greater sonic variety, you may find the album monotonous. But kudos to Buried Echoes for producing a strong album entirely without vocals.

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