Artist: Daedelus Album: Rethinking the Weather

Year: 2003
Duration: 0:0-1

Rethinking the Weather: A Critical Review of Daedelus' Innovative Album

Born Alfred Darlington, Daedelus is an American electronic music producer renowned for his groundbreaking combination of hip-hop, jazz, and electronica. Since the early 2000s, he has released several albums, and his latest, Rethinking the Weather, is no exception to his innovative style. This album represents a bold venture into ambient and experimental music, with mesmerizing soundscapes and lush instrumentation. In this blog post, we will take a critical look at Rethinking the Weather, exploring the artistic evolution of Daedelus, the music genre of the album, the best songs of the album, and the most innovative parts of the album.

At the outset, Rethinking the Weather transports the listeners to atmospheric soundscapes filled with ambient synths and dreamy reverb-laden melodies. The album consists of ten tracks, characterized by intricate percussion, layered synths, and haunting reverb. The music genre of the album is ambient electronic, with influences from glitch, IDM, and downtempo. The entire album playtime runs for nearly 40 minutes, making it highly immersive for listeners to relish the lush soundscapes.

The opening track, Suit Yourself, is a slow-burning introduction, but without a doubt, it sets the tone for the album. Minced Fat, featuring musician Amir Yaghmai on saz and lafta, serves as a standout track, hypnotizing the listener with its Eastern melodies and slow-burning beats. Another notable track is Order of the Golden Dawn, showcasing the interplay of live instruments and electronic production. These tracks provide a good starting point for those new to Daedelus's music. Overall, the album is a satisfying and enjoyable listen that would be appreciated by fans of experimental electronic music.

The innovation on the album is evident in its use of percussions, sample selections, and the overall sound of the album. Daedelus has a particular penchant for off-kilter and unorthodox percussion rhythms, which are exemplified in tracks like Can't Hide, Raindrops, and Humdrum Headspin. As such, Rethinking the Weather highlights Daedelus's aesthetic approach to sample selection, which takes in various musical cultures from all over the world. The album also discovers the artist's exceptional skill at sound design, with various layers of sound images meticulously put together.

However, while the album is packed with musical highlights, it does have its low points. Keep Still and Lazy Sunshine fall short of the standard that the album has set, and feel more like filler tracks. Moreover, the album is entirely instrumental, which can make it an arduous listen for those unaccustomed to abstract or experimental genres. Despite these criticisms, the album retains its overall coherence, providing a satisfying listening experience that holds up over multiple plays.

In summary, Rethinking the Weather, Daedelus's latest album, is a captivating experiment in sound and melody. The album draws on ambient electronic, downtempo, and glitch, mixed with natural instruments like saz and lafta, creating mesmerizing soundscapes and haunting melodies. Although the instrumental aspect of the album might be a turnoff for some listeners, it is a worthy listen for people interested in electronic music, and it provides an opportunity to explore an innovative artist at the pinnacle of their craft.