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From 2002’s GTA Vice City, to 2011’s Drive soundtrack and the current Stranger Things series, there seems to be a cyclical interest in the anachronistic 80’s mystique of synthwave. During this pandemic, we’ve seen plenty of local synthwavers pop up with diverse takes, such as: The Neon Experiment, Violet Cascade, and Opian. As the project’s namesake, Revery’s debut instrumental LP manages to distinguish itself with enough heart.

As expected, there are buzzing bass lines, sci-fi synth stabs, and retro drum machines that evoke nocturnal cityscapes of decades past (and future), but there are also ethereal beds of new-age chords and soaring hair metal-ish guitars that gracefully fill the air as well.

There’s an inspirational vibe throughout the runtime and no shortage of tender dreamy moments. The saxophone solo at the midpoint of “Passerby” stops you dead in your tracks with blaring melodic tension that hits hard with longing and regret. The metal guitarwork in “Bad Language Makes for Bad Feelings” blaze and thrust with gleaming arpeggios zipping behind it. The floaty procession of new-age synths in “Dreams” is pure nostalgic bliss.

There’s also a sense of exploration in many tracks, while others seem to run in place. The darker and lengthier songs (They Mostly Come at Night, My Heart is Neon) trudge along and feel like the product of noodling around over a soundscape. Most songs lack tonal shifts, tension, and development. Double-time drums and extra instruments drop in without adding dimension or form to these soupy compositions.

Revery is a wizard at sculpting perfect moments. While these moments are stretched beyond what they should be, the transcendental union of sonics and mood (and past and future) form a rigid backbone for this project.

Score: 6/10

Thanks for reading and listening! Purchase and listen to My Heart Is Neon below (Also available on Spotify and Apple Music). Follow Revery on Instagram. Follow Raymus Media on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Reddit to keep up with more Rio Grande Valley music. Also, please consider becoming a patron of local music journalism by clicking below