Nearly a year and a half has passed since the release of ‘THE OTHER SIDE’, LukHash’s most recent musical excursion. Kuma reviewed this album quite favorably in a Quick Shots article shortly after its release, and while I hadn’t heard much about LukHash prior to this, I became a huge fan and eagerly awaited an announcement for his next album. A track titled ‘Round the World’ was posted on his Facebook page last April, and I immediately knew that LukHash had something in the works. So when I got a message from Brandon last month saying that I’d be able to review his latest release, ‘GLITCH’, to coincide with its unleashing, I was pumped. For those who don’t know who I’m talking about, LukHash is a stellar chipmusician who fuses chiptune with electro and modern EDM to produce astonishingly hard-hitting beats. But enough of my rambling…let’s get right to it!

GLITCH by LukHash

We’ll start this review off by looking at ‘Round The World’, the teaser track I previously mentioned. The song starts with a highly distorted voice, noting that “all portable electronic devices should be turned off onboard the airplane”. After a few more seconds of garbled noises reminiscent of static signals, a robotic voice denotes the track’s takeoff, and LukHash’s signature style starts to pound its way into the listeners’ eardrums. Heavy kick-snare patterns emphasize the beat, while Commodore-esque tonal leads permeate the soundscape. Vocals can be faintly heard ringing out during chorus segments of ‘Round The World’, creating beautiful overtones – harmonic notes played at the same time as a fundamental note or chord. LukHash’s practically patented, resonating bass tones are well crafted, swelling on most offbeats, helping to cement his desired sound for the remainder of this album.

GLITCH by LukHash

Next up on the chopping block is ‘Papergirl’, the album’s fourth track. This track begins with a fade in from nothingness to the track’s main melody and percussive line. The melody is impressive and well-crafted, and fans of LukHash would expect no less from this phenomenal pillar of the chiptune community. The amount of detail present in the quieter interlude segments, however, really sold me on this track. Guitar work is present on ‘Papergirl’ at the 1:22 mark; the solitary qualm that Kuma had with LukHash’s last album was that LukHash didn’t exercise his guitar chops through the album, but they’re very clearly demonstrated in this track, and the combination of chip and guitar is definitely not something to scoff at. 32nd-note arpeggiated chords span octaves and give off an otherworldly vibe; if stardust had an aural texture, this would likely not be too far off. ‘Papergirl’ subtly transitions into more down-to-earth 16th notes, a craftily performed touch that blends perfectly into the mix. More smooth, metallic-textured synths are utilized briefly at the 2:46 mark, emulating the previous guitar entry while slightly differentiating itself through its melody. It can also be noted that, during the quieter verse section, kicks are occasionally replaced with a record scratching sound, adding yet another layer to an already phenomenal track.

GLITCH by LukHash

Two tracks later, the listener is introduced to the album’s title track, ‘Glitch’. This track has a heavier drum ‘n’ bass/drumstep influence than some others on the album, which is demonstrated through emphatic and aggressive percussion, alongside significantly less focus on melodic advancement. Every kick, snare, and hi-hat feels like a shockwave, especially during the breakdown sections of ‘Glitch’ at 1:33, 2:39, and just before the very end of the track. Punchy, repeated notes on the first two beats of these breakdowns only add to the intensity of these frenetic passages. The level of intricacy LukHash exhibits through this track was immediately apparent to me as I listened to it through and through, and I’ve no doubt in my mind that this song in particular is sure to become a favorite among many chipmusic and EDM fans alike.

GLITCH by LukHash

The final track I’ll be writing about today is the album’s closing track, ‘Left Behind’. This is certainly LukHash’s most experimental foray on this album for a multitude of reasons. For starters, the calm, melodic nature of its opening segment belies what’s in store for its listener, and the track successfully kept me guessing what was going to happen until the very end, which was positively delightful on my first listen. LukHash does a wonderful job of beguiling his audience through the initial speed-up and the final slowdown, drastic and dynamic changes in volume, and alterations made on instrumentation during ‘Left Behind’. The entire experience is nothing less than mesmerizing the first time around, and that sense of mystique is absolutely unforgettable. Different aspects of the track can come to be appreciated after that initial electrifying listen, such as references to the static-esque effect utilized during the first track, slight changes to the lead’s tone during the introduction as the song kicks into gear, and a stunning transition from a square lead to a brief piano phrase.

‘GLITCH’ is nothing short of incredible, and is an absolutely phenomenal way to start off 2017 in the world of chipmusic. The first 8,000 downloads will be free, but I’d highly recommend purchasing this album for whatever sum you deem adequate in order to support this absolutely phenomenal and long-standing pillar of the chipmusic community. LukHash has always been a favorite of mine, and being able to review this album for its release date has been a privilege and an honor.

Many warm, special thanks to President Hoodie and LukHash for making this possible, and to YOU for reading through this.

Much love!

LukHash

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GLITCH by LukHash

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