Miracle of Sound - Level 9

Miracle of Sound
Level 9
2018
Spotify

Gavin Dunne better know as Miracle of Sound has made a nem for himself by doing something a little unexpected. Music is always inspired by something, but Miracle of Sound bases his music mostly on video games. He often releases the songs with accompanying Youtube clips featuring the source material. It's a novel idea and a way to reach the gaming community wwhich is almost ever expanding. Level 9 is you guessed it the ninth addition to this series and it's... well it's something. If you are looking for a through line there is a somewhat cinematic theme, but that is where any consistency is thrown out the window. From metal to Gregorian chants this record throws everything at the wall. If this was supposed to be for one video game, it would be one of the weirdest most convoluted games of all time. You don't know if you are playing a medieval sword slasher or a first person shooter set in outer space. It all feels cinematic just to be cinematic but it never really makes any kind of real points. The album has this bombastic feel, like a surging orchestra, but because this was all done on a computer it sounds a bit off. "Ascension" is one of those tracks that is forever getting bigger and bigger with these chants driving it forward, but in the end it all feels more than a little pointless. 

Songs like "Deep Blue" however feel decidedly different, some kind of synth swirling feel. The limitless idea is nice, but there has to be something tying the whole thing together and here there just is nothing. "The Death of Rock 'N' Roll" goes into this guitar riff heavy sound with full on distortion. It is almost disorienting how quickly this album came change on a dime. However it does show that today the barriers of entry to creating and having people listen to your music are all but gone. That means you can make a record like this that is silly, and pretty distant from commercial pop success. It's like Dunne just wants to make any song He damn well pleases so he does. Like Imagine Dragons? He's got "Savior's Mind" for that. I mean it's really kind of funny when He just goes for a sound that isn't his without any kind of consideration. It's so out of touch that it is almost enjoyable. But only almost, in the end this record is just a confusing mess of disparate ideas thrown together. It's weird but has it's moments, and maybe that is ok.

3.0 out of 10