Daniel Walzer – Tripglitch (Album Review)

Once again, we revisit the horizons that encompass all that is within artists who are multidisciplinary in their art and potential. As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve waxed lyrically about the possibilities and the competency that comes out of artists who can master different types of art forms and genres. It colours every piece of art they touch with uniqueness and a deep understanding of the framework of art itself. You truly have to be suspicious of one’s role in any medium of art if you are met with a hesitancy to encompass different forms.

As you can probably infer from that initial statement, today’s review will not deviate from the wonderful world of interdisciplinaryism. The artist in focus is Daniel Walzer, with his new release titled ‘Tripglitch’.

Based in Indianapolis, he is a multi-instrumentalist, a composer, and an audio engineer with roots in percussionist training. This release is no new forage for him, as his discography boasts more than two dozen albums with him credited as a session musician, an audio engineer and a producer. The discography in mention also boasts versatility and the ability to adapt and encompass various genres, as they include a range of commercial and art music styles. Not to mention, Walzer also had a five-year stint living in Nashville, Tennessee, that helped to craft the repertoire of this discography. In a way, it reminds me of David Bowie’s stint living in Germany for a couple of years leading to a sort of creative prowess- or even Milad Nazeri‘s discography, in which he oscillated between commercial art and avant-garde tech music to birth a release that is beyond competent.

In terms of Walzer’s work as a composer and a collaborator, he also has had his music featured at the New York Electroacoustic Music Festival, the International Computer Music Festival, New Music on the Bayou, and the TUTTI New Music Festival as well within labels such as Janus Music and Sound, a neoclassical record label. He is also an assistant professor of Music and Arts Technology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Indeed, this is an individual who is learned, competent as well as multidimensional. He is the living, breathing culmination of the concept of ‘continuous learning’, especially in the field of music.

This release, Tripglitch, is also Walzer’s 7th album credited as the ‘leader’, with a collection of compositions revisited from the past and refurbished. He also mentions that his influences in music are pretty eclectic, ranging from fusion jazz, ambient pop, and new age to progressive rock. Moreover, the album’s title track plays within the concept of the old AAA Triptik, which is a tool to help one plan a trip. Ingeniously, playing with that concept reflects how unpredictable life is- just as the artist intended. This seems pretty promising to me, let’s find out if the album reflects these concepts and the overall creative intent.

The album’s introductory track, ‘Solace’, starts off with guitar riffs that to me, sound like a mixture of curiosity, contemplation and exploration. It reminds me of a lot of notes chosen for encyclopedia CD-rom soundtracks in the late 90s to the early 2000s. It creates a sense of longing as well, with it being complemented by the subtle vocals in the background. The percussive elements give the introductory phase of the track a sense of dynamic anticipation as well as build-up. The song then transforms, as it enters a bridge with synthesized elements that give it an ‘oomph’. The initial anticipatory percussion leads itself to an apex, going into the next segment of the song: marimbas and vibraphones garnish the soundscape, while the percussive elements and syncopation sans the cymbals give me a very similar feel to the percussive elements of ‘While The Earth Sleeps’ by Deep Forest. That to me, gives the song more of an exploratory yet existential character, almost clinging onto any elements of ‘what is left’.

This is quite ironic, given that the title is ‘Solace’, but it does make me ponder- what if our interpretations of the word solace get clouded by what we think it is? Perhaps, exploration is his solace. The tender piano keys in this sequence also gives the song more pause and trains of thought, providing it with an emotional depth and the bass also helps to amplify the depth of the song. In a short segment, the keys almost mimic a Balinese pelog-like scale. Around the mark at 1:58, the song completely transforms for me. The percussive elements and the bass get even bolder and deeper with a tribal flare to it, with the polyphony of the marimba giving life to ‘chaos’. The track then mellows out, bringing back the subtle vocals, with the vibraphone giving the song a sparkly, dreamy, and contemplative feel again. I have to say, besides certain elements of amapiano, the vibraphone reminds me of some of Windows’ early leitmotifs in their sounds. This song overall, puts you through a mental journey and certainly makes you think with all of the thematic changes inbetween the song. I highly recommend it.

The second track, ‘Where Do We Go From Here?‘, starts off pretty strong with the percussion and synthesizers in the beginning. It almost has a serious 80s feel to it, like the music in the introduction of grave documentaries in that time period. It definitely does set the scene for anticipation, before it seamlessly goes to the next movement of the song. The vibraphone takes up the melodic load in this song. The emotional tone of the notes chosen sound very damning, but in a good way. It sounds like as if a serious, existential inquiry or dilemma was represented in an auditory fashion. I can definitely picture some sort of interpretative dance to it. However, the melodic part of this song is not one-dimensional, it also has inspirational and determined undertones, which give it more complexity under its emotional front. The song then switches slightly, at the mark of 1:57. The percussion sounds more ethnic and mechanical at the same time, giving the impression of the sound of a steam train. I assume the marimba takes precedence in this part with the Rhodes piano in the background. This combination is truly perplexing and ethereal at the same time. I genuinely favor sounds with a short envelope, just as how the balafon is my favourite instrument, so I think I’m biased in liking the tone of the marimba at this point- it gives it a childlike innocence, yet the impression of an inquiry, while the general tone of the Rhodes piano gives songs the feel of soulfulness (in terms of music) as well as nostalgia. The combination of the two definitely gives it an interesting musical juxtaposition. Moreover, the slight tones of the guitar round the harshness of the percussion and help aid the element of the Rhodes as well by giving it more of a mellow flair without losing the general gist of the composition. Towards the end, it repeats the same motifs from the second movement of the song. This song also made me feel as if I was going through a mental journey, it is a truly fascinating song.

The third track, ‘Salsa Raga’, almost surprised me after the themes of the first two songs. The song starts off with resonance from the electronic guitar. I can hear the very subtle rhythm in the background that actually reminds me more of phonk brasiliero than salsa, almost as if it was airy, starting off the percussion of the song, but the guitars truly surprised me. The way it is played really reminds me of Sahel blues, in the typical manner that musicians in the Sahel and associated regions play their tune. The guitars fade into the soundscape, being enveloped in a sea of sound that draws out. In fact, I see why the song also pays homage to ragas, the drawn out resonance in the midst of the notes being played truly is reminiscent of ragas. The bass in the song definitely give the song a desert blues feel, as well. Towards the middle of the song, the drum pattern switches to more of a conga drum pattern, just like the ‘tumbaó’. The song then fades into an extremely exhilarating drum solo, still being wrapped up in the sea of resonant sounds. The tightness of the drums, the surreptitiousness of the bass and the ambient soundscape just balances each segment out perfectly. It is a very pensive-sounding song. In the bridge of the song, the chords turn more ambitious, while still maintaining the ethos of the song. Towards the end, the conga-dominant percussion morphs into that of a jazz-drum solo, which I find quite interesting. This song is truly comforting yet expansive in its own right.

The fourth track, ‘I Close My Eyes and Breathe’, starts off with the wonderful timbre of what I assume to be the Rhodes piano as well- warm, tender, sparkly yet distinct. The bass gives the song a sense of misplaced mystery, while the flute initially supports that motif but expands upon it. It is a very unique intro to a song, I must say. Songs that usually introduce themselves with the Rhodes tend to not add elements of mystery and question to it but this unique manifestation somehow… works! All the elements of the spaced out instruments and the subversive choice of notes, create a wondrous feeling. It also reminds me of some space-age/early 70s tracks as well, where these same elements were used to create a sense of mystery. The wavefunction of mystery collapses, as a strong percussion kicks in, with the melodic sequence in the guitars reminding me of the instrumental in the ending credits of Bob Ross’ show. The vocalists voice adds in a dreary, yet angelic feel to this track. It supports the juxtaposition of mystery and free-flow in this track. The flute even goes towards an euphoric tone, before the electric guitar ends the song and it fades out. This song definitely makes you feel every element you’re supposed to feel, from each element of the instrumentals to the vocals. Simply stunning.

The fifth track in this album is ‘Space Thing’. To me, it expands upon the contemplative motifs of the initial tracks of the album. However, this time, the direction of the melody sounds more clear and decisive, yet broody at the same time. It bears actually slight similarity to some of David Bowie’s instrumental ambient works in ‘Low’ (1977). The use of the vibraphone in this track definitely gives me that feel. The kick of the drum accented with the brush-and-drum technique also provides this song with a slight jazz flair, and the main melodic guitar also gives the song a slight blues and speculative feel. I can hear slight tinges of a triangle in the midst of the track, and to me I find that quite ingenious as it balances out how harsh the guitar is in terms of overtaking the other instruments. A tambourine then enters, with additional conga-esque drums in the background giving the song a bit of groove, as it initially proceeds like a single homogenous piece. The melodies used in the guitar definitely does remind me of the determinism of space travel in some weird way. Even though this song doesn’t have too many apparent thematic changes like the initial tracks, I still found it a ‘journey’ to listen to. It’s a song that will make you reminisce about the space-age, even if you never knew what it meant phenomenologically.

The sixth track in the album, ‘Working on Wednesdays’, definitely has a dynamic genre-bending edge to it. It starts off with an electronic blues twang, that oscillates so much it almost sounds like it is part of a hijaz. The rhodes piano then enters, with a sound in the background that reminds me of the ascension of planes. The chords that the Rhodes uses, however, reminds me of a mixture of neo-soul and blues. I like the depth of the chords in the midst of the noise, as it gives it a contemplative feel relative to the hustle and bustle of life itself- kind of like a person staring out of the bus to think, even though calamity is before them. The chords switch up to that of a ‘question’ and a defensive, sassy tone, which I find actually quite interesting. It seems like with each measure, the listener goes more into a sequence of calamity, but gets drawn back by an emotional equilibrium. Perhaps, it is to accurately reflect the myriad of feelings one experiences while working in the middle of the week. The slight tinge of determined chords also make me think about how commerce has to run, in the background, at all times. Even though this song wasn’t the most exciting song in the album, it still somehow acted as a mental puzzle to me. A song to truly appreciate.

The seventh track and the title track, ‘Tripglitch’, starts off with descending chords and a jazz-like swing in the background. As the melody of descending notes continues, I can’t help but bear similarity of that motif to the concept of ‘Murphy’s Law’, where everything goes wrong. In fact, the title itself alludes to the unpredictability of life itself. The bass helps to give the song a little bit of a dark depth, while the supporting sounds in the background give the impression of the effect of unpredictability itself. All in all, it helps to sharpen the artistic intent of the track. The jazz groove in the percussion definitely gives off a sort of suspense, but not in a dramatic way. It gives me the impression of suspense that is quite in your face. The bass descends further, while the vibraphone, in its natural tone, plays in a descending manner but also in a manner that facilitates the feel of the ‘unknown’. The trumpet enters the track, giving it more sophistication and seriousness with its tendency to dominate with its flair. The track then spirals more into the mystery of the unknown, with a more aired-out sound and borderline spooky tones. It is also imaginative, due to the notes played by the acoustic guitar. The way the guitar is panned and put in the background also gives it an ephemeral feel. The percussion only strengthens, both in terms of packing a punch and in terms of volume, before the track fades out into mystery. One thing I really appreciate about this album is how the tracks utilise the ‘fading out’ technique towards the end, as it helps to refine the concepts in the album.

The eighth track, ‘Emerge’, gives me an overall 90s feel, but not in a bad way. The syncopation of the drums itself, and the chords used do really remind me of certain concepts that used to be depicted in songs from the 90s. It’s almost like the percussion beat resembles a little bit of trip-hop, and the chords of the piano and the vibraphone sound like deep lounge from that time period as well. Not to mention, even the style of the guitar as well. Moving on from the time period the track is associated with, the track makes one feel contemplative. It feels like a walking clip of a scene, making you immersed in a way that is honestly quite hard to describe. It also has tinges of passion in it, with the tone of the guitar. The marimba also give this track a sense of hope, emerging from the fairly edgy soundscape. The electric guitar in this track oozes sensuality yet grief at the same time, especially during its solo. The chords also help to support the guitar. The tone of the track oscillates between angst and relief, which is quite a fair call-and-response to play with. The song ends out with the guitar player just continuing with his prowess on the guitar, before finally fading away.

The final track, ‘Transition’, starts off with an entirely acoustic introduction that feels warm and inviting, as well as wise, with a supporting resonance in the background. It then morphs into full jazz and lounge beauty, merged with a little bit of chords akin to soul as well. This song feels like as if it is trying to tell me a story. The drum pattern of the track is quite innovative as well, as it also still retains a slight trip-hop feel while the chords descend into a melange of soulful chords. The tempo of the drums quicken, and small instances of questionable keys colour the song. It also manages to wrap up slight instances of inspirational note choices in the song as well. The guitar returns, giving the track a return to the wonders of smooth jazz. It just simply pulls you to the track, and through the track, as it continues with how it waves through the track. In the middle of the song, the synthesized-aired-out vocals return, giving the song more of an otherworldly feel. That itself, is honestly a smart move, as the elements of the rest of the song sound quite earthy. What sticks out to me throughout the track is the drumming. It is very dynamic and frankly, carries the heartbeat of the song.

This album is a wonderful delight to listen to in these current times. I do not hear most people merging genres such as new age, jazz, jazz fusion, ambient, blues, and easy listening/smooth jazz altogether. The mere culmination of this project is a necessity. I think it brings back elements of music from the past that we all overlook, and shows how certain elements can work with other elements that we may not necessarily link. The whole release evokes a myriad of emotions, almost as if it intended to map as many emotions as possible. Even if it wasn’t intended, the subtle notes and choices in each of these songs reflect that. The use of many thematic changes within each song also adds a high level of musical variability, keeping you on the edge of your seat. Also, this album makes you think. It’s not an album that will bore you in any way. Listening to this made me feel like I was going through a wonderful mental journey. I also genuinely appreciate the various instruments used in this release. Combined together, they truly worked. Moreover, I rarely hear of people using the vibraphone in their compositions these days- a tiny little detail that will set this release apart from others. Lastly, every single track was also perfectly mastered, putting the cherry on top.

Rating/Outstanding – ‘Tripglitch’ is a release that is filled with sophistication, from the choice of instruments to the way the compositions are crafted. It is an album that definitely utilises the art of mixing between various genres, without making them clash. It is an immensely contemplative album, that will take you through little journeys as you seamlessly weave through each track. A delight for music enthusiasts.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

Check out Daniel Walzer’s Website Here