Dousing the listeners in a haze of synth-induced nostalgia, Lancelot Chen has come up with a riveting sonic signature— his latest album "Gist of The Dusk is clearly meant for the small hours— it's also an ingenious fusion of songwriting and production, skills which the indie-pop alias demonstrates in plenty through the LP. Let's get into the finer details about the artist and his latest efforts!
Fully embracing the synthwave movement, Lancelot Chen affirms pop standards but not without his own spin; oftentimes the singer-songwriter mashes RnB with verdant layers of 80s synth, diverging with said signature into other neighboring styles of music. Atmosphere is a key constituent of what he has to offer, as his debut single "Back in Time" showcases: a moody and suspenseful ambiance from the pulsating synths paired with reverberating LinnDrum percussions, as the vocals adhere to a falsetto pitch. This perhaps cuts a close resemblance somewhere between the "After Hours" era The Weekend and electronic music pioneer ZHU. In a span of this year, Lancelot has struck an impressive debut on the scene with three albums worth of discography, very much confirming his industrious and unfettered approach to music-making.
As we enter "Gist of the Dusk," a groovy breakbeat and sweeping synth put up a 2000s soundtrack-type introduction, which is quickly replaced with electro-pop assets; the vocals and arpeggiating synths are all in the mood for dreaming, as the songwriting focuses on a fictional protagonist, a singer, discloses his past to a crowd. Yet more atmospheric is "The Scary," which remains sparse except for the softened and ambient synths, and the vocals wistfully cynical and bitter ("But I can’t face reality//The cold rain pour on me//Torture me torment me//Til I am on my knees").
Marking a change in pace, "Back in Time" begins on a cinematic note as usual with skittering arp synths coupled with ricocheting percussion, slowly building up towards the 2nd minute where the arrangements switch to an uptempo synth-pop beat, still packing the broody and radiant sound design. "Walk Like You" (the 7th track) mirrors similar themes with an energetic demeanor, using a strutting bassline lofting the modern RnB style vocals. On "Starlight," the vocalist-producer is more open to experimenting, merging a wobbly, undulating bass as the songwriting centers on the said protagonist, sincerely regretful and trying to mend a broken relationship. Yet another distinct tune among the bunch is "Raid Out" with its delayed and percussive beat and auto-tuned vocals (conjuring a trippy vibe)— conflicting emotions in a post-heartbreak mended relationship, with the aforementioned character facing a severe dilemma about it.
As the end comes into sight, the album shifts back to spacious and minimal instrumentation; "Heaven's Fall" comes with tragic news as the lead of this ongoing story has tragically lost this girl to an accident. The ensemble assumes a pensive mood, and stands out with layers of chiming sounds. Interestingly, the titular single takes the final act; it's all about coming to terms after a disastrous incident, with the lyricism embracing grief for comfort. Much like the preceding tune, there's a hypnotic mix of glimmering synths with muted kick drums running in the backdrop.
With dystopian and sci-fi inspiration, "Gist of The Dark" contains a deeply emotional narrative from Lancelot Chen, as his vocals take the role of a gentle accompaniment through the vivid tracks.
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