Jacqueline Cordes’s Singularity is a multidimensional experience, a synesthetic journey through sound, space, and the depths of human emotion. Drawing on her unique chromesthesia, Jacqueline transforms her vision of sound into landscapes both ancient and futuristic, organic yet meticulously designed. Her influences, ranging from Danny Elfman’s cinematic drama to Radiohead’s cerebral explorations, Trent Reznor’s industrial grit, and the haunting atmospherics of Łukasz Michalski, are evident throughout the album, yet Cordes forges something entirely her own. This is music that invites us to transcend, blending electronica, orchestral textures, and folk elements into a cohesive meditation on existence, transformation, and unity.
The opening track, Otherworld, is aptly named. Intricate piano arpeggios cascade like light through crystal, creating a cinematic energy that feels both vast and personal. Subtle harmonic chords add depth, drawing us into a space that exists beyond the tangible world. The astral tones resonate on a higher spiritual plane, evoking the sensation of stepping through a doorway into a dimension of boundless possibilities. It’s a beginning that establishes Cordes not merely as a composer but as a storyteller, crafting a narrative of transcendence and wonder.
A Child’s Song shifts the mood, presenting a playful, almost whimsical surface that belies its deeper, darker undertones. Bells chime with an eerie precision, and sliding vocal synths and choral designs weave a soundscape that feels simultaneously nostalgic and unsettling. It’s as though childhood innocence is remembered through a distorted lens, where shadows linger at the edges of memory. Perfectly suited for a psychological thriller or horror film, the track demonstrates Cordes’s ability to balance the familiar with the uncanny, turning sonic elements into emotional archetypes.
Encounter From Beyond builds on the haunting energy of its predecessor, this time expanding the palette with orchestral strings and intertwining piano lines. The effect is immersive, pulling us into a contemplative state. This track feels like an invitation, an open-ended question posed to the universe, asking us to reflect on what lies beyond the limits of perception. The interplay of strings and piano creates a tension that is both beautiful and unsettling, a reminder of the mysteries that surround us.
With De tous biens plaine, Cordes takes a bold turn into the past. Translating to the concept of oneness, literally as “Of All Good Things Full,” this track opens with ancient, folk-inspired vocals and a soundscape that evokes the Middle Ages. The charming folk guitar roots the piece in an earthy, timeless quality, bridging centuries of musical tradition. Yet, even here, Cordes imbues the track with her distinct touch, creating a piece that feels as much a meditation on history as a celebration of it. It’s a moment of grounding in the album, reminding us of the cyclical nature of time and the enduring power of music.
The serene beauty of Amber Sky showcases Cordes’s virtuosic piano skills. The meditative opening blooms into a dynamic performance filled with exquisite riffs and subtle emotional shifts. The piece feels like a reflection of the horizon at dusk, a moment of transition captured in sound. The colors Cordes perceives through her chromesthesia seem to flow directly into the music, painting an auditory portrait that is both vivid and calming.
Reality 101 Failure Intro serves as a cerebral interlude, a brief but impactful moment of sonic exploration. Its spacey, galactic feel suggests a shift in perspective, a recalibration of our mental and emotional state. This track acts like a DNA shift, preparing us for the album’s next phase and reinforcing the theme of transformation that runs through Singularity.
The momentums shifts and dissipates with Tunnel (Running Theme), a track that combines whirring energy with cerebral bass notes and astral piano lines. The composition is dramatic and cinematic, capturing the sensation of forward motion, of running toward, or perhaps away from, something profound. Moody and ethereal, the track embodies the tension and urgency of a chase, its layered textures pulling us deeper into its orbit.
The Pursuer is one of the album’s standout moments, opening with astral keys and moody mid-notes before expanding into a cinematic symphony. The track’s minimalistic beginnings grow into a lush, immersive composition, with strings that recall the drama and tension of a James Bond film. The key changes are sublime, taking us on a transcendental journey through shifting emotional landscapes. This is Cordes at her compositional peak, blending tension and release with masterful precision.
Its companion piece, The Pursuer (Postlude), strips the soundscape down to a single instrument, offering an intimate piano performance that feels like a moment of quiet reflection. It’s a tender resolution, a final breath before the album’s grand finale. The organic simplicity of this track contrasts beautifully with the expansive nature of the album, grounding us in a moment of pure humanity.
The closing track, Aurora, is a celestial masterpiece. At over five minutes long, it’s the longest and most ambitious piece on the album. This cosmic finale feels like the culmination of all that has come before, a meditative exploration of unity and oneness. The celestial soundscape stretches infinitely outward, tapping into the cerebral and spiritual themes that define the record. As the music swells and fades, it leaves us with a sense of transformation – a sonic upgrade, a spiritual awakening. It’s the perfect conclusion to an album that is as much about the journey as it is about the destination.
Taken as a whole, Singularity is a cohesive and visionary work that seamlessly blends the organic and the electronic, the ancient and the futuristic. Jacqueline Cordes has created a musical universe where every note feels intentional, every sound a reflection of her synesthetic vision. The album’s title is fitting: this is music that converges disparate elements into a singular, unified whole, reminding us of the interconnectedness of all things. As her debut commercial release, Singularity not only establishes Jacqueline Cordes as a composer of extraordinary talent but also as an artist unafraid to push boundaries and redefine what music can be. It’s an album that lingers in the mind and spirit long after the final notes fade, leaving us eager to see where her boundless creativity will take her next. We have added Otherworld and The Pursuer to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TRIPPY playlist, whilst we immerse ourselves in the rising star’s growing music video universe, available on YouTube.