When I met Ryan Bucklar three years ago, I knew that he was onto something special. His newest album, Nomad 2, is a combination of ethereal sounds and imaginative storytelling that creates a sense of Euphoria that I haven’t heard from an electronic album in a long time.
The album begins with strong, heavy-hitting tracks, such as “We Are Your Friends” and “Mad Jam,” which punch into your brain with their trance-inducing synthesizers. Bucklar was intentional with placing these tracks at the start of the album, making it clear to the listener that Nomad and Nomad 2 are similar yet extremly different. The ethereal and experimental elements on this album are reminiscent of Bucklar’s debut project; Nomad. However, the energetic synthesizers and basslines of the album create a euphoric mood that morphs from one track to the next, building upon Bucklar’s previous discography without detracting from it.
As the album continues, we happen across “Hey!” an atmospheric track that pumps your ears with lush downtuned pads. This song is the album’s first attempt into a darker atmosphere, but it’s clever with it’s direction. The pads used lulls the listener into errie sirenity throughout the introduction of the track. This serenity is soon broken, interupted by an overdrived bass giving the listener a sonic edge they’ll feel throughout the project. This formula is also seen in tracks like “Paloma” and “2014,” which both implement etheral vocals tracks that build to a heavier drop. However, both drops subvert expectations by using bass as a juxtaposition to both atmospheric pads and synthesizers. One thing that really sticks out about these tracks in retrospect, is the intentionality of structure, gone is the raw and DIY nature of Bucklar’s ealier works, instead intentionality gives room for Bucklar to grow and make these tracks feel polished and energenic.
All in all, Bucklar’s growth in regard to both his sound and storytelling on Nomad 2 is immense. When listening to the album one gets the idea that this is a journey that Bucklar is emarkening on with the listener- one seeped with intentionality, depth, and structure. While I do miss some of the grit found from Bucklar’s earlier sound, the later half of the project creeps in that direction of raw edge. Nomad 2 utlimatley feels like fresh step in Bucklar’s discography and I’m looking forward to new releases from him in the future.
Rating: 8/10
- We Are Your Friends – 0:59
- Mad Jam (feat. Sque3eze) – 2:41
- With You – 2:31
- Hey! – 2:28
- Noamd, California – 1:13
- Paloma – 2:46
- 2014 (Club Version) – 2:45
- E320/ Metal / Heaven – 3:02
- Passage – 2:14
- Get Into It – 1:51
