mentalEscape – Upgrade
mentalEscape – Upgrade – Album Review
Well holy shit, would you look at that! Somehow it’s already been more than three years since the last time we had mentalEscape up on our pages? I tell ya folks, the best thing about time flying by in this line of ‘work’ that I’m in, is that when it still feels like it was just yesterday that you were listening to somebody’s music, it’s because it’s genuinely memorable. Mind you, I’ve had a bit more experience with mentalEscape than I assume many of ya had…which gives me an advantage over some of you – BUT – I’m also super old now and usually can’t remember I put my socks on already most days of the week. Anyhow. You get the point – mentalEscape has beaten the odds – I remember this project quite well. From reviews here on the pages, to featuring the music on the SBS Podcast and sneaking it into the SBS Secret Stash Of Stellar Singles…to be honest, I actually listen to mentalEscape quite a bit when it comes right down to it. So fuck YES – I was freakin’ STOKED to hear “Pasha’s Night Out” get this new record fired up in all the right ways instantly. What a fantastic opening track y’all! We’re talking about a song with a serious dose of cross-cultural vibes that is literally bursting at the seams with colorful character. Combined with the clever, complex, and carefully designed structures that has made mentalEscape a verifiable force to be reckoned with year after year of its existence…believe me when I tell ya, “Pasha’s Night Out” immediately draws a line in the sand as a real statement track, practically daring you to cross over & step into the world of sound that mentalEscape creates, so you can have yourself a quality listen. For real…”Pasha’s Night Out” is extremely enticing on every front…the way the sound moves is nothing short of remarkable, the entertainment factor is off the charts, and the production is truly outstanding.
OKAY. Listen folks…you’ve read my introduction to this review and my first impressions of the opening song, so obviously you know I’m a sincere fan of what mentalEscape creates and I have been for quite some time now…I think I’ve been listening to this project for more than six years at this point. So take it under advisement – when I tell ya that “Keep Going” makes it crystal clear that this dude is NOT fucking around with this record, you can rest assured that I know my shit and what I’m talking about. Don’t get me wrong, I think every album out there under the sun has its own personality, and that it’s somewhat misleading to think we can truly compare anything to anything – BUT…c’mon y’all…if you can listen to “Keep Going” and not feel like mentalEscape came outta the gate ready to ATTACK YOUR WHOLE FACE on a sensory level, then you’re dead inside and certainly beyond any help I could give ya. Every single time that this album looped back to “Keep Going” I felt like this ONE SONG might be responsible for me throwing a chair through the window of my house, because it gets me that HYPED UP. The wild level of energy in this one track alone will pretty much leave you speechless, while simultaneously have you reaching for the volume to turn this motherfucker UP to the rafters, as loud as your system will take it. While there’s zero doubt about how riotously addictive this track is from start to finish, you also can’t help but take a step back from it and acknowledge how much work would need to go into something like this to make it as insanely smooth as it actually IS, especially considering how many twists and turns it possesses. No joke – you’d have to be an Arkham Asylum type of nuts to listen to “Pasha’s Night Out” & “Keep Going” & feel like you wouldn’t want to hear more! Upgrade has mentalEscape at a full 100%.
Like, for instance, if you’re a fan of stuff like The Crystal Method in the mainstream, yet don’t believe or think that such brilliance could be replicated anywhere in the independent scene, you’ll be blown away by what mentalEscape has created on this record. Listening to stuff like “The Salton Sea” makes it so vibrantly apparent that the gloves have been taken off and this dude’s confidence is at an all-time high. mentalEscape has come out swinging for the fence with Upgrade, and your ears couldn’t possibly miss the incredible effort that has been made to keep ya fully engaged & entertained. “The Salton Sea” has such impressive depth to it…just spectacular stuff really…like how the Propellerheads used to get the party started, but arguably with even more precision, versatility, and skill here. Ultimately, that’s the direction that’s gonna work out best for a project like this, because think of it this way – every genre out there builds upon what has come before it, if they’re doing it right. mentalEscape’s all-star performance on Upgrade will have you leaving mainstream Electro behind if this is what the independent scene is capable of – or better yet, enough of YOU out there jamming this record at max volume could be what ends up launching something like this project to compete with the best of the best like it should be. I listen to something like “The Salton Sea” with my jaw on the ground, bewildered and amazed at what this dude is capable of. The imagination, the technique, the ideas…everything is present and accounted for – but beyond all that, it’s used to maximum effect. It’s like when a chef gets the very best out of the same ingredients that everyone else uses…mentalEscape has access to the same stuff so many others obviously would, yet LISTEN to the way he mixes up something so savagely tasty like “The Salton Sea!”
This. Party. Just. Don’t. Stop! FOR REAL…you’ve already gone through three tracks you won’t be able to take your ears off of, and you’ll likely wonder how long mentalEscape is gonna be able to keep that level of interest up for…because we have to assume that the dude is human, and that there will eventually be an ebb and flow to this album like there is on every one that’s ever been released. You’ll get to “0s And 1s” though, and start to question whether this guy is ever gonna take his foot off of the gas, because right from the moment it starts, this track comes out moving at top speed, ready to take no prisoners. While I suppose there’s an argument to be made that of the first four cuts, “0s And 1s” does eventually find so much variety to its expansive array of ideas that it’ll venture out to the fringes of cohesiveness, which could make it a little more of a challenging listen in comparison to the first three in the set for some…I dunno…call me crazy, but mentalEscape’s natural ability to create digital entertainment always ensures that there’s something extraordinary goin’ on for your ears to listen to. Ultimately, I’d tell ya that at least two-thirds of “0s And 1s” has more than enough accessibility to it for the masses to handle, but I can also recognize this track is built a bit more for the longstanding fans of Electro-based music at the same time. There’s always a bit of inherent risk that comes along with daring to diversify your music, whereby someone’s always going to feel one part of a song might sound stronger than something else…but that’s the art and the craft y’all…and it’s way better than seeming like your ideas are stagnant. I freakin’ LOVE the way that “0s And 1s” starts at the very beginning, and I’d have taken three or four minutes of that alone if I had my way…but I applaud mentalEscape for keeping things moving and trying out new stuff along the way to give this track the many twists and turns it has to keep us all entertained.
Even when it comes to songs that might arguably have a little less to them, or appear less involved by comparison to some of the rest, or that potentially remind you of other things you’ve heard scattered throughout the history of Electro, like “Persistence” for example, you’ve still gotta admire how much mentalEscape has gotten everything perfectly in place. Like, c’mon y’all – what would you honestly change about a track like “Persistence” on a technical level? Absolutely nothing! I’m not talking about the ideas themselves…maybe there’s stuff here you love, maybe there’s stuff here you’d consider changing around a bit or adding something to in that regard – but in terms of the production and the ridiculously high quality of the sound itself, you’ve gotta credit mentalEscape with an award-winning level of attention to detail on Upgrade, “Persistence” certainly included. For myself personally, I don’t know that I’ve ever really been into those HUGE dramatic bursts of cinematic synth sound, but I’m not here to tell ya they don’t work on this track – they do, it’s just not as much my thing on a personal level is all. That being said, every other damn thing surrounding them IS completely my jam, and I’m once again in awe of how much mentalEscape is able to accomplish within such relatively short timeframes. There’s really not a hair outta place on this record, so when it comes to what you respond to…what you like or what you love…believe me, mentalEscape has put itself in a position to WIN with every single cut by how much effort has been put into the production. After that, it’s all a matter of what verdict gets returned in the court of public opinion based on individual tastes, but he’s truly done everything that could possibly be done from a technical standpoint to give every track a chance of being your favorite.
Dude knows his stuff and the sound that he’s going for. You listen to something like “Hype” and you can feel that homage to acts that broke major ground for the entire Electro-realm like The Crystal Method or The Chemical Brothers…the energy is continually set high, and the entertainment factor naturally comes right along with it as a result. When we’re talking about technique and precision in that regard, or even the cleverness in the ideas in terms of how to present the sound to us, LISTEN to “Hype” and tell me you can’t feel that! Some of my favorite aspects of mentalEscape’s production can be found within “Hype” – there’s honestly so much to love about the way this whole song moves and the attention to detail that it has. Our hero has made sure to leave no stone unturned when it comes to the execution & the nuclear degree of energy found in this material, and the set list of Upgrade has shown us no cracks in its armor thus far. “Hype” delivers what its title promises ya it will – this is “Hype,” straight up. Not in the way that can be defined as overly sensational or puffed up without substance – no…we’re talkin’ about a purely radiant dose of unfiltered energy that keeps comin’ atcha like it’ll never run out of steam. Take it from me folks…I might not have had Upgrade in my possession all that long if I’m being entirely truthful with ya, but for what it’s worth, I’ve road tested these songs by spinning them relentlessly since I got my hands on this album. “Hype” holds up, and continually generates renewed interest in it the more that you listen to it, which is again all due to the extraordinary attention being paid to the finest of its details.
What I like about “AmenBr8K” is that you’ll hear mentalEscape experimenting a bit more with a melodic aspect in this particular cut, while not compromising his sound or style in the process. While there is almost always a prevalent rhythm and groove that is present and accounted for in any of the tunes you’ll find in this catalog, or a heavy presence of the true spirit of D’n’B along the way, the place you’ll find mentalEscape still has the most opportunity and room to grow in terms of its own evolution, is through the incorporation of melody. A track like “AmenBr8K” shows us the kind of limitless potential that exists when he wants to lean in that direction a little more and infuse melody into the top priorities of a song’s design – and in my personal opinion, we can hear how well that works out. I’ll be the first to admit that I am incredibly attached to the first three tracks on Upgrade and still feel like those could very well be the cuts that people respond to the most in this set, but I really feel like tracks like this one make an extremely compelling argument that highlights how much there still is in the tank. It’s as if mentalescape is drawing from an endless well of energy and inspiration, and as a result, you can audibly hear the fresh excitement & professional skills contained within each track. Some of the moves he’ll go on to make throughout “AmenBr8K” will freakin’ blow ya away, and rightly so – this dude is firing on all cylinders when it comes to the set-list of songs on Upgrade. mentalEscape is clearly capable of competing with the best of the best out there on any Electro-based playlist and/or securing the top spots on’em. The level of accessibility in a track as innovative and inventive as “AmenBr8K” somewhat defies logic…it’s rambunctious and got a whole lotta ADHD to it movement that has it never sitting still in a way that could be outright anxiety inducing, but I feel like the majority of people will truly LOVE this.
You’ll find that a lot of what you likely consider to be mentalEscape’s greatest work comes from when he’s flexing a more cross-cultural vibe, like he did at the start of this record with “Pasha’s Night Out.” It takes more than a minute to get back to what we were introduced to there, but eventually Upgrade circles back around to “Old Town” to get some more of that back in the mix for ya. In my personal opinion, I think it’s a really good move on mentalEscape’s part to proudly embrace sounds that are attached to his own upbringing and culture, even if it’s fairly understood that there’s usually a trade-off between including those kind of elements and a more broad mainstream acceptance. That’s kinda the reality, and I’m objectively aware of that – I just don’t care is all. I’m all for music that expands our sonic palettes & does things differently like mentalEscape does on “Old Town” – and it’s always my sincere hope that others out there look forward to these kinds of adventurous tunes as much as I do. I am very aware that this isn’t usually the case, but piece by piece, we’ll help the world evolve and we’ll get there. We couldn’t accomplish anything like that without artists like mentalEscape who help stir the melting pot of sound we have in this world…tracks like “Old Town” and “Pasha’s Night Out” genuinely do more than just supply something great for us to listen to, they actively enrich our lives beyond our own comprehension. Essentially, as we’re listening to lively, unique tracks like “Old Town,” we’re expanding our minds and musical tastes at the same time…to me, that’s a very admirable trait to music like this dude makes. I don’t think that’s WHY he makes these songs and I’d imagine it’s likely just an unintended byproduct of making music he’s personally interested in, but regardless, it contributes to our evolution.
In terms of unique ideas that really stood out to me on this record, “Night Drive” was one of the most compelling. I think there’s an argument to be made that a heckin’ great many of these songs would be more than suitable for flyin’ down the highway on a “Night Drive” – but this track in particular, doesn’t actually possess that same sleekness you’d normally associate with a ‘driving tune.’ It’s got that ice-cold synthetic sound to it, which is always a key ingredient to a great “Night Drive,” don’t get me wrong – but, the pattern and movement of this track is a lot more chopped up and parsed out than you’d likely expect. Once it settles into its main digital groove, sure, it works, and it probably supplies exactly what you’re looking for – all I’m saying is that it’s not the dominant trait of this particular “Night Drive.” What I do think comes through in a very powerful way is the darkness here…you can’t listen to this track and feel a goddamn drop of daylight – it’s built for the night, just likely in a different way than you’re used to. All-in-all though, I felt like “Night Drive” was a track that really highlights how the mentalEscape approach ain’t just like that of a typical Electro-based act, and that it really reveals the kind of enigmatic moves that truly make all the difference when it comes to generating interest & the longevity of a song. Maybe Upgrade might show some wear and tear with a ton of repeat spins over time – I honestly don’t know and that hasn’t been my experience, but even if it does, tracks like “Night Drive” will continue to hold up long beyond the rest of the set-list. It’s the kind of cut that audibly sounds ahead of its time.
This has really been an exceptional record for mentalEscape from start to finish. At ten songs in total, I feel like there hasn’t been an ounce of wasted space, and it’s filled with fantastic ideas, technique, and sound right the final seconds of “Odyssey” at the end. In fact, I might go as far as to say that this last cut in particular, could very well be up there in my top three…at the very least, on this album, if not within the whole mentalEscape catalog if I’m being real with ya. There’s just something about “Odyssey” that becomes enchanting, hypnotic, and mesmerizing…the more you sink your teeth into this track, the more it seems to claim your whole attention span until you’re fully consumed by listening to every morsel that this song has to offer your speakers. It also happens to be the longest track on the record, and shows us all how brilliantly effective that mentalEscape can be when using the extra space. Think of it this way – not only do you get another track that focuses more intently on making melody a major part of what we hear, but the actual use of space in this song, is nothing short of a tremendous victory. A lot of Electro artists can easily get caught up in adding a whole bunch of stuff into the mix, and restraint can become their worst enemy because the temptation to continue adding more stuff in is easy when everything under the sun is at your disposal through digital means. When you listen to a track like “Odyssey” though, where there’s a more minimalist design to its DNA, you really can’t help but marvel at how mentalEscape has maximized every ticking second you hear by keeping this track so clean & decluttered. That’s not to say the rest feel overstuffed at all – they don’t – but “Odyssey” seems to dial back the list of ingredients even more, and as a result, enhances our enjoyment to an all-time high right at the end.
What other kinds of fun has mentalEscape been up to you ask? Make sure to check out the remixes he’s been working on that we’ve posted up within this article! Lionheart’s “Halfway To Avalon” came out sounding strong with its gritty use of texture and tone. I’m always up for ANYTHING to do with Run The Jewels and Zach De La Rocha, and our hero here has continued to amp-up the excitement level of “Close Your Eyes” by increasing the massive intensity and presence of the low-end. You’ll also find the mentalEscape remix of AK & Veela’s “Ask For Help” is a lot of fun too, and mixes his penchant for dirtying things up with a clear melodic hook you’ll want to have on repeat. I’m highly impressed with what he’s created with his new album and the remixed singles he’s got surrounding it…this is quality work no matter what you end up clicking on. It’s the original content on Upgrade that secures the win for myself personally, but there’s no doubt whatsoever that mentalEscape is in its prime right now and making music at an all-star level no matter how you slice it. Stoked to hear this project thriving beyond all expectations I could have had.
Find out more about mentalEscape from the official sites below!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2nijFk5UCd4OgBMaOFlx5b
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/mentalescape
Bandcamp: https://mentalescape.bandcamp.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGzA-og5m3ozwxWol7q_pdg
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/mentalescape/301901856
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