Review: Beckett - Search of 34
https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=171418557/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=333333/artwork=small/transparent=true/
Late last week, on Halloween, Beckett, a synthwave artist from Manchester, UK, released his latest album, “Search of 34.” This album was a major undertaking and project of childhood nostalgia. I was not sure what to expect of this new album when I first heard it, but let me tell you one thing … I was instantly hooked! You can tell that Beckett has put a lot of work into this album because every song sounds well-thought-out and polished. I can definitely say that there isn’t a single track that I would want to press the skip button on.
The album is available to purchase on Bandcamp for £5 (or $8 if you’re in the U.S.) and comes with 11 tracks that add up to 54 minutes of musical awesomeness. If that isn’t enough for you, your purchase also comes with a limited edition 'Cut Screen' booklet of 12 artworks that accompany the music and a PDF that gives captions to go with the songs. The 'Cut Screens' also come in 4K desktop imagery if you’re up-to-date with the newest technology. Believe me, this is a great deal, getting 11 songs PLUS 12 pieces of artwork that you can use for your desktop background. I definitely don’t think you’ll regret the purchase. Alright, let’s move on to the story behind the album …
“Music from the Super Nintendo game I always wanted to make. 20 years ago, the idea was formed with a single drawing, now the music will lead you through level by level. When I was a small lad back in the early 90s, I had this idea of a fleet of search and rescue mechs that would search the bad lands of postwar/ post diseased earth and try to rescue the survivors, but also battle their way through tough environments and hordes of bandit mechs and infected 'wasters' (the mutated fallout children of earth.) I forgot about this until last year. I saw the only picture left of what I drew back then and it all came flooding back. The idea may still one day live as a game, but one thing I thought I would do for 'Beckett of the past' and that would be to make the soundtrack I always wanted.”
Beckett Presents: "Search of 34"
"34, the last of the search, rescue and recon units that would patrol the outlands, the badlands and the wastelands of fallout earth. The future has come... and gone. No more TV and games. No more civilization. No more hope. The small pockets of people left, are trying to unite, rebuild, and survive. Driven by the memory of fallen friends and family, unit '34' and mission central 'SkyCap' search for the survivors, rescue the helpless and fight the remaining savage bandits and battle mechs that wait in the outer reaches... all to make a better world... to survive.”
Lucy's Thoughts on Each Track:
“Search of 34”
What instantly came to my mind when I heard this title track was playing SNES games like Sega Genesis at my neighbors house when I was a kid. This song is full of fun and action-packed adventure. I also really enjoyed the jazzy, melodic synths that would come in here and there. Another enjoyable part was the people from ‘34’ talking on walkies to ‘SkyCap’ as they’re using radar to try to find signs of life. Then, finally we hear that they have succeeded and found more people to rescue!
“Navigator”
This is a much slower-paced song, filled with lots of feeling. In this song I imagine someone reflecting over the past, thinking of what used to be and how things have changed. Although there is a bit of a feeling of sadness, the song also makes you feel hopeful … maybe that the future will be a better one.
“NightRunner”
This one also starts off slow-paced, but has a nice steady beat. I really enjoyed the soft yet pleasing bass combined with the soothing guitars. The synth playing gets quite jazzy at some points and really adds depth to the song. Although it is slower-paced, I don’t feel that it’s boring or sad by any means. It feels like another reflecting song. Perhaps it’s one of the people from ‘34’ reflecting as they do search and rescue missions.
“Path Finder”
At first this track starts off slow, but then it starts to pick up in beat. Soon enough you’ll find yourself wanting to snap your fingers and move to the beat. This song has got a real nice groovy vibe to it. If you can somehow manage to keep yourself from moving, I’ll be surprised! This is a perfect song for getting things accomplished because this music is so motivating!
“Legacy”
Another slower song with some soft, steady, pleasing drums This song makes me think of someone sadly reflecting on things. Don’t let the fact that it’s sad make you think this isn’t a good song though … it is just overflowing with emotion, which makes it quite beautiful in my opinion.
“Turbo”
After that last slow-paced song, Beckett has us back on our feet. This song is much more upbeat and makes me think of someone busy doing a mission in a game. This one definitely has that classic SNES sound to it and I’m sure that those of you that had one back in the day will have many nostalgic thoughts with this song.
“Miami Dawn”
I believe this may have been the first Beckett song that I heard and if it wasn’t then it’s definitely one that I instantly fell in love with. This song was available to download for free a couple months ago as a teaser to the upcoming album. I don’t know about you, but this song make me feel happy and like I want to dance. It’s an instant “feel good” song. The guitar at 3:24 reminds me of the guitar riff from Duran Duran’s “Notorious,” which instantly brings to mind my childhood in the 80s.
“Lock Target”
In contrast, this song starts off sounding kind of mysterious and dangerous. Soon, some layered mechanical beats bring to mind images of people using machines to fight a war. The lush synth melodies in between help to fill in the details of the battle at hand.
“Left to Rest”
This track is full of emotion. From the title we can tell that it’s about someone that has fallen in the line of duty. You can definitely hear the despair in this song. I also feel that this would make a great end credits song. Although it is full of emotion, it is also really quite beautiful and airy. I get feelings of nostalgia too from this song. Perhaps it’s those that are left reflecting on the times they shared with those that have departed.
“Run For Home”
This track has a similar feel to the “Search of 34,” however this time it feels much more victorious and happy. I instantly think of someone running. This would make another great end credits song, but in more of an upbeat/happy-ending kind of way. I get the feeling that something good has happened and now it’s time to celebrate. Oh yeah and did I mention, there’s some awesome guitar work in this track?
“Fortune Favours”
This track starts off slow with some pulsating game-like bass, then builds in speed and rhythm. It’s another very beautiful song that I could easily picture near the end of a game. The melodies paint a picture of the hardships and victories that you have gone through. You don’t look back at it with despair though, you look back at it with a smile on your face because you know that the future is looking brighter.
Information from Beckett on the Process:
Beckett was kind enough to give me some more background info about how he got into the synthwave scene and how this album came about.
“Project Beckett has been a chance to make public something I've held back on for a long time. Until the beginning of the year, I didn’t even realize synthwave was out there. Most of the works I was focusing on was trying to think “mainstream” with 80s influences; artists like Chromeo, Daftpunk, Les Rhythms Digital, etc. After realizing what it was I was actual creating, I found I didn’t have to only hit for mainstream. I heard Mitch Murder’s album, “Interceptor.” That was incredible. After that I started digging around Soundcloud and Bandcamp and started listening to 100’s of other artists like me. I felt there must be a small pocket of people that would get my sound.
I was inspired to put forward the album concept. A musical soundtrack to ‘cut screen’s,’ for a game set in the 90s, that hasn’t actually been made! As in the album synopsis above, I was trying to recreate part of a moment in time I thought about making almost 20 years ago!
The ‘Sound’ was to be set in a synthwave approach but with highly polished production and detailed concept artworks. I was massively inspired by my Super Nintendo games, Cybernator, Super Castlevainia IV, Super R-type, such fun and such awesome games. With that mind set, I wanted to make sure that the way I put the album together would be the same; no pressure, full fun, hopefully all killer, no filler.
It took about 6 months for the tracks and the story to grow and a month for the mastering process. I made a vast majority of the sounds and patches used in the work as to try and get it as close to the SNES sound in my head and on the games. Making my own sounds was key. Getting all the synths I have in there was also fun. Rolands, Korg, Oberheim ... all together to work the sound of classic 80s/90s game.”
I can’t recommend this album highly enough. Please check it out and show support for this great up-and-coming synthwave artist.
