It’s one of the most uninspiring names Ive ever heard while doing this blog – Sound Image, a title that seems so matter-of-fact it seems only a few pegs up from naming your project “Music Project.” Coupled with a near-complete lack of information, Sound Image is the sort of musical entity you see on your dashboard and only click play because there seems to be nothing else going on. But whoa…turns out Sound Image’s tracks are all this mysterious artist needs. “Atlantis” serves as a digital lullaby, chimey synths joined by bubbly beats, all seemingly built to lull one towards rest. Yet in the back hide details that keep pulling you in – sudden bursts of percussion, what sounds like sound effects from a Kirby game, whirring.
The knockout, though, is “Open Mind,” a deceptively simple song hiding all sorts of wonders. It comes out the gate like vaporwave, all slowed-down vamping, the whole thing sounding like it was recorded off of a nearby TV set. Yet instead of rest on its warm, nostalgic vibe, Sound Image keeps adding new details to the song – more prominent guitar lines drizzle in, as does a snappy bass line. New electronic elements drop in, and the guitars change. “Open Mind” subtly morphs, a weird transmission that’s like one of the greatest soundtracks to a 4 AM “end of programming” placeholder screen imaginable. Listen below.