Edgar Saakyan has the unique gift of being able to blend the retro with the new-age. This might be confusing to purists, but it sustains the soul of music in the most essential form. It tracks progress, yet is rooted in some part of tradition. This artist seems to have found the weight on either sides of the scale. Believe is his latest album, full of piano tracks that explore the boundaries of the form.
To rasterize the purpose of rhythm would be to create pockets where it would fit in. Prepackaged moments within which notes will be in motion. With Shadows, Edgar Saakyan creates a bubble of vibration and dynamism. Like the formless enigma that the shadow is, you see the series of notes change form with how the light shines. It is purposeful and calming, the background reverberating with life.
If brings his melodic voice to be in play with the gentle piano notes. Like a leaf on water, it cruises to the melody. Edgar makes sure the vocal melodies follow a route that isn’t usually taken. The approach and performance is unique, borrowing from traditional forms as well as piano ballad features. With Dream, we get a much more intense structure that shows us the final image. The arpeggio is inspiring and arouses a certain level of curiosity. The bass notes punctuate what would be a synapse connection, tracing one image over the other. The lead climbs over, creating a picture-perfect segment.
Dream transcription
Trip elevates the sound to a much shriller, treble heavy shape. The sonic signature is at the distance almost, yet seems to be attainable. The play with registers is complex, so you can hear weaving sounds in different parts of your brain, almost. Hidden Tenderness is one of my favourites, as per the arpeggio that leads us in. There are smaller, intense frills that whisper over the conversation. As the lead alters, it creates a depth that has to be felt, not heard.
Trndez shows how well Edgar Saakyan can control his arpeggios. They create all the dramatic background he needs to formulate his master plan. The leads come in as characters, often leaving an important message behind. The minimal use of percussion allows the instrument and composition to be appreciated for what it is. Moonlight continues the feeling, but dramatically drops the tempo. It has a much closer outlook, almost at a level of detail that is admirable and unique. The digital layer plays well with the natural tone of the keys. Edgar is a talented virtuoso of the instrument that he called his friend years ago.
Appreciating the reach of sound
The title track comes next, an emotional event in some ways. His vocals and lyrics constantly change how the main melody interacts with the instrument. It has a really strong background that dances with the arrangement, almost to create a ballet of sorts. Mokats Mirza is next, pulsating with the life the song needs to flourish. Once again, you hear the seeping synths creating the dynamic, lively vibe a saga like this needs. As the undertone, you hear a monologue, a prayer of sorts. Almost as if to reflect it, this song mirrors the creative journey taken.
Believe II is almost a sequel to the soul that was found in the first version. It continues as the meditation it was bound to, exploring new avenues and breaks the limitations for the kind of sound you’d expect from keys. It is a departure from the limelight into creating something that sounds uniquely like him. My Choise reaches into the depths once again for an emotional poem with notes. It has surrounding oceans of sound and highlights, to show how well Edgar Saakyan can navigate his vision.
As Aramazd closes down this album, there is a lot to unpack. Exploring possibilities has been a capsule of what Edgar does. He has not only looked in more than the 3 dimensions to what his songs mean, he has looked deep inside. Have no doubt, this has deeply impacted memories crafting the melodies. Listen to the brilliance of his album here:
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Discovered via http://musosoup.com
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Self professed metalhead, moderately well read. If the music has soul, it's whole to me. The fact that my bio could have ended on a rhyme and doesn't should tell you a lot about my personality.
