Dissonance began at the beginning of the nineties, and became part of the Texas synthpop scene playing live in Dallas in venues such as Curtain Club and Arcadia de Dallas. After a few albums, Void in 2017, Sycamores in 2018 and Ascent jn 2019, the artist came to the spotlight again with the release of three maxis, of which Ephemeral is the last one. Available since September, Ephemeral sails the Darkwave sea and consists of eight different version of a track full of poetry.
“Many of us have experienced loss and grief. (…) We are ephemeral, as are the flowers of summer – here for a season and gone.” With these words, Cat Hall, the artist behind Dissonance, expresses all the philosophy behind the song. A philosophy compressed in the term “ephemeral”, a word of a great importance in the song and the first one that we hear, emphasized by the way of singing. A line of bass with synth textures follows, being at the same time rhythmic and organic. The song as a hypnotic ostinato underlined by drums with timbres altered by effects. There is an alternation between spoken and sang parts, and this last one contrasts in a magnificent way with the repetitive rhythm thanks to the refined melodies and harmonies during the long groups of notes.
The other versions gave a totally different look at the original, as they made us travel in a variety of atmospheres and aesthetics. “Ephemeral SINthetik Messiah Mix” is built on nervous rhythmic parts with influences from drum&bass and sonic layers that gives the track a more ethnic side. In “Ephemeral Mourning Willow Mix”, music emerges from breathing and the track moves towards rock thanks to the use of the electric guitar. “Ephemeral A Cappella Mix,” a bit shorter, it’s an instrumental that helps us realize how beautiful is the singing in the original.
This eight versions allow the listener to listen to the same song in different ways with a maximum of sonorities. And make “Ephemeral” a single to listen without moderation.
