Padre Tóxico explores an experimental range of sounds with his electronic album Synesthesia, creating something that’s more inviting and relaxing to the casual listener. Admittedly, parts of the artist’s new album may blur and blend between tracks. There is a wall of sound here that’s only broken by the album’s more obvious dynamic shifts, but there’s subtlety here that goes deeper than a casual first listen. As the gentle synth melodies and percussion come into play, it’s clear that Padre Tóxico isn’t in the business of fixing up obnoxious, radio-friendly tunes. His more focused in creating wild and imaginative soundscapes which certainly add more diverse depth to his music while still remaining incredibly consistent to his musical brand.
In this fashion the listener can appreciate rhythmic chops and the ensuing spacey melodies without missing out on the ever-present atmosphere. Starting with the opener “Headphones On” to “Ambient Encounter”, all the way down to the closer “Primero”, you can be sure that Synesthesia is a balanced, accessible, well thought-out album that bridges the artist’s back catalog with its more experimental emphasis on electronic sounds. It becomes a hard pick for the listener to choose which song is a favorite, as this album is more about absorbing and soaking in the sonic soundscapes, and letting it transport you to whichever galaxy of a track it so chooses rather than having a concentrated listen.
Everything here is tilted to a display of atmospheric grandeur, capitalizing on the framework of the song that came before it and the one after it. Sure, some of the more trippier tones only hit you deeply towards the ending of a song’s composition once you settle in, but it’s also the introduction that reinforces the breathing room for your mind to continue on a psychedelia trip, creating a cohesive album that showcases the artist’s talent for combining even the most contrasting of elements to full effect.
It’s clear that Synesthesia is no small feat within itself. Each song itself bordering on minimal and subtle sound inclusions, yet remaining as large as the track’s that sit adjacent to it. As a statement piece, the album finishes how it began, creating a natural feeling of completion as it does so. Hazy melodic notes continue pressing onto the listener, embellishing the closing atmosphere in delightfully lush but often isolating synths. As a whole, Padre Tóxico’s Synesthesia is a sprawling, captivating journey of sounds that bring the added weight of lofty melodies which delicately lunge to the front of the mix, but not to the point of overbearing.
Listen to more music by Padre Tóxico:
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