Jaded Lover reaches back for the last time on ’08-’18 Upgrayedd Mixes Vol. 3. A re-mix/master “Upgrayedd” treatment on two tracks, with a new song that only existed as an unreleased demo before now.
“The Summer, The (Upgrayedd Mix)” is the only thing that will get you through this day. Homegrown shuffle beats, a monstrous synth/bass guitar bassline, and epic rushingly euphoric synths and guitars already get you thinking about the lights blasting by on the evening train ride home. A peculiarly giddy metronome marks the time in your head.
You sit and sit, feeling the heat oppressing your every movement, minuscule as they may be.
“Hey!” your annoying coworker Bob, who hilariously looks like Sideshow Bob, says from over the cubicle wall.
“There’s something to that everybody’s working for the weekend, amirite?” he chortles.
Yeah, can’t wait for the dripping wet, hot hot summer fun. Gonna be a real PLUR’ed up dance party for sure.
“Hey Bob, what’s the German word for ‘the’ again?” International accounts, you roll your eyes. Meh, Summer always seemed girly to me.
Like a never-ending thought loop promulgated through your head, “The Summer, The“ subconsciously instructs you to take it-take it-take it.
And take it you shall.
Dutifully returning to the shuffling of papers in your cubicle, shuffling your life away. Waiting for the weekend, I guess.
“Watching P (Upgrayedd Mix)” has swirling Moogs and Prophet lead washes that surround the funky guitar and synth bass as it traverses the moors of the future. Four to the floor rhythms keep all feet on the ground running. Cyber Werewolves howl into the night!
“What are you watching!?” the wife calls from the bedroom.
“Nothing honey!” quickly, I close the browser window as she comes around the corner.
“Back on the robot werewolf hentai Reddit thread?”
Noooope, none of that. Super not into that.
She catches me ONE time down some weird thread hole, and I never hear the end of it.
“Just working on some music, sweetie.”
“Uhhh-huuuh, music…”
With “Kitty & The Deep Blue Reef,” bit-crushed Commodore 64 drums propel you toward your destination. On the descent, a smooth Prophet bassline navigates the waters precisely.
Space disco/retrowave synths harmonize like so many glowing creatures drifting in and out of the porthole view.
“This is exciting!” she exclaimed while joining the other passengers.
Kitty was finally going from University at Kajar to the Ocean Palace. It felt like the culmination of life long dream.
Sensing her excitement, Captain asks,
“Is it your first time?”
“Oh yes, to study magic at its source. I can not wait!”
“Well, we’ll be going by The Deep Blue Reef on the way. It’s one of the great wonders of our kingdom. Then off to the palace itself.” he smiled.
What top-secret project pulled her and all the other students out of university right before graduation?
She had overheard the head scholar before leaving. He said it was the Queen herself that gave the order, something about mammon.
Whatever it is, everyone in the kingdom had noticed a large uptick in magical energy, like electricity dully humming underneath everyone’s day to day.
Ah, just nerves, she reassured herself.
“Kitty & The Deep Blue Reef,” whispering aloud, barely audible.
I like the sound of that, jotting it down in her journal for use as a song title or something.
Well, like it says in the brochure, “Adventure awaits!” perking herself up as the Captain closes the hatch.
-M.W.
