Drawing us in with a meditative frequency crescendo, Carlos Dengler opens his album, The After, with a consciousness expanding intention, cosmic echoes, and a track called Extremophile. The opener feels akin to a DMT awakening – serene, connected, but tapping into an ancestral sensibilities with divergent toms, astral glitches, and glistening synths. Needless to say, we are mesmerized and grateful to be on this journey with the talented composer.
Next up is Mirrored Moss which reflects nature from its initial output, with sun beams pouring through the trees, the the intricate sounds of water and natural, aquatic life forms. We feel at peace, and are intrigued further by evocative melodic details, inviting us to self-reflect. The drama of the strings arrangement reminds us of the potential chaos that abounds on this journey.
Silent Veil follows with a futuristic, holographic energy and rippling, psychedelics synths. The precision of the electronica elements of this opus are welcome, and we appreciate the fusion between nature and the simulation. Subversive ad libs from Cynthia Cook are littered throughout, and the drama builds, inviting waves of healing to abound.
We then experience, The Harvest which launches with peaceful intent and a captivating pizzicato riff with heavenly 80s inspired synths, taking on a more grounded energy. A mesmerizing cello performance from Paul Brantley evokes a moodier energy, and we are in awe of the overall dynamism of the piece with high bells and a nod to the evolution of classical music.
Preparation has a cathartic vibe with bird sounds, syncopated bells and croaking sounds akin to a frog, perhaps a Bufo Alvarius in line with the psychedelic theme of the record as a whole. This leads us through to Gift To The Fire, which is the culmination of the chaos that we anticipated previously. The harder synths are thought-provoking, reminding us that our universe is not solely constructed in peace alone. The East and South Asian instrumental elements further ground us, tapping into the spiritual frequency of the opus as a whole.
Tomorrow’s Halls is a luscious mood, evoking the peace that we seek, and the album concludes with the title track, The After, which goes full circle with a cerebral edge, expanding with healing tones and a cosmic energy that fills our souls and lights up our chakras. The inclusion of laser-like synths remind us of the detail of our holographic universe and the choral culmination of the composition feels like an ascension.
We learn that Carlos Dengler was born and raised in Queens, New York, and his appreciation of ambient and experimental music became evident during his years at New York University. During his years at NYU, he co-founded the band Interpol, and served as original bass player and keyboardist until 2010.
We love the conscious intent that Carlos Dengler creates with, and have added the title track of the album to our New Music Spotlight playlist, as well as our new TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream the talented creator’s wider discography, including his album Aqueduct.