posted: 2023-12-21 Midnight Tangerine death’s dynamic shroud

While Vaporwave aesthetics still seep into its production, ‘Midnight Tangerine’ is a departure from death’s dynamic shroud’s usual fare, falling more in line with psychedelic art-pop sounds. The record’s heavy reliance on vocals is also unique for the trio, as they’re utilized in gorgeous harmonies and cathartic choruses throughout. “The Bleeding of the Sun” and its epic, grandiose passages of pounding percussion sits in stark contrast to the somber, chilling piano ballad “Twin Moons” and the sweeping, lovesick “Autumn Hill.” They take this instrumentation into a grand, wholly orchestral direction on “11 Months,” while recapturing their jovial magic on the bubbly “Hologram World” without sacrificing these atmospheric qualities. The phenomenal finale “Moonbow” is a monumental culmination of nearly every idea the album presents at their finest, and possibly one of the group’s greatest individual tracks to date. dds’s music is always diverse, but rarely explores as many genres as ‘Midnight Tangerine.’ Not every moment is as compelling as the next, but it’s easily one of their most adventurous projects, despite always pushing the boundaries of their sound. – Hayden7575, AotY