</reality> Review
Buy </reality>
Blend together one part nostalgia, one part eclectic rhythms, and one part electronic music for the </reality> soundtrack by Chase Bethea. Like a delicious smoothie, this album is more than the sum of the its parts, and most of the flavors complement each other well.
I will fully admit that my first taste of the album was a little overwhelming. “Mainframe - Realms Theme” throws pounding percussion and blaring horn synths at the listener, but by “Subconscious Intelligence”, I was easing into the album. Each track contained little surprises, usually in the form of ethereal samples or unique rhythms, and I wouldn’t call these tracks catchy, but they certainly set a contemplative, reflective mood. Then, during “Intermense”, I caught some whiffs of a personal favorite OST, Incoming by Rage Software. Nostalgia struck again during “Traverse Beyond the Arch”, reminding me of “City in the Sky” from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. I have to wonder what other references might be hidden in the album, just waiting to be discovered, but I digress.
While I’ve yet to play </reality>, Chase does an excellent job establishing a surreal, futuristic tone with this soundtrack, using familiar sounds and melodies to draw the listener in. A quick look at his Bandcamp page reveals seven other albums that I will likely explore in the future, curious to see how they compare with this one.
RATING: RECOMMENDED
(Fans of Electronic Music Should Enjoy)