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Amygdala is presented as one 37 min long album which is a really good idea, there is a flow between the different parts of the album in terms of recurring themes and sounds whilst exploring different textures and soundscapes. This means it also has an improvised or live recording feel.
There’s a really good selection of sounds on the album too and each of these are layered and arranged really well. The album was produced using the hardware instruments Arturia Microbrute, Arturia Microbrute SE and Korg Monotron Delay.
The fact that Amygdala is presented as a continuous track of 37 minutes doesn’t allow for the usual review of individual tracks but it does appear to have six distinctive movements, for want of a better term, which is used during this review.
Amygdala has a great opening, like a broken or circuit bent synth drone sound followed by a great synth riff and layered synth sound. There is really good movement in the sounds and great layering too which creates a really good ambient soundscape.
There is then a second movement which explores similar themes but has a more defined bassline and synth line.
The third movement has a more urgent bassline and great background swirling effects and there’s another really good synth lead with delay used to great effect. There’s also a nice change in feel towards the end of this movement slowing the tempo into background sounds effects.
The fourth movement starts with a bass drone and a really good synth lead sound. This is a great soundscape through excellent layering and lead lines.
The fifth movement then has arp type bass and synth lines which again are accompanied by a synth lead layered over the top.
The sixth movement then has quite an urgent feel to the bassline which contrasts really well with the synth lead line and drone which has really good movement to it.
