When talented multi-disciplinary artist Gary Dranow told us that he was ready to show off another side of himself and his artistry, you can imagine the intrigue that we were met with. We felt a deep-seated curiosity to experience the expansive growth that the creative behind The Manic Emotions and now Astralix has to offer, and the proponent of this shift is aptly titled, Digitize.
Establishing the mood with a meditative synth, rippling keys and a glitched melody, Digitize opens with dimensionality and warmth before we are met with a wave of atmospheric vocals from Klym Apalkov.
The opus evolves with thought-provoking lyricism and a fierce electro-metal hybrid soundscape which feels refined, yet anthemic. We love the vocal ad libs and the overarching dynamism that the composition presents.
We learn that Digitize marks a significant evolution for Gary Dranow and The Manic Emotions with a sound that fans of Linkin Park, Papa Roach, Audioslave and System of a Down might be able to connect with.
The middle eight is hypnotic as we are privy to an ancient civilisation style chant in Sanskrit which has us feeling at one with the universe and full of emotion. This eventually leads us back to an anthemic final reprise.
Speaking on his collaboration with vocalist Klym Apalkov, Gary confesses, “The addition of Klym as the lead vocalist has infused the project with a new level of intensity and emotion. [His] dynamic range and powerful vocal delivery perfectly complement the band’s musical direction, creating a synergy that is both captivating and deeply moving.”
Gary goes on to tell us that the upcoming album, Asterion is designed to explores “themes of technology, human emotion, and the intersection of the digital and physical worlds. It’s a reflection of our times, and the music resonates with a raw energy that is both timely and timeless.”
We love what this new era of Gary Dranow and The Manic Emotions has to offer and we have added Digitize to our New Music Spotlight playlist, as well as our brand new TRIPPY playlist, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of Gary Dranow and The Manic Emotions.