May 2, 2020

HAELIUM – Playgrounds

 
 
 
Chain linked melody contains nostalgic sun and we knock knock kick drum clap to snap through and break the chain for infinite refrain to feel the past to be at last back to square 1, 4 square, play fair this is where we were born and grew under the sun when we were at square 1.


               HAELIUM snapshots the simplicity of youth with a singular melodic whisper adorned by crisp yet radiant, as if enlightened, divine rhythms and reminiscent reverse echo splashes saturating the canvas with water color fragmented memories.

              

Tonally, the song centers around Ab Lydian.  The chord progression is as follows with lots of tasty stuff to unpack:


               ||Ab maj7 #11 | G-   Bbmaj13   |  Ab maj7 #11  | Eb maj7 #11  ||




Okay!  Lots of jazz extensions going on here.  The first arpeggio in the Ab chord I believe is voiced approximately Eb, Ab, C, G.  The major 7th  sticking out as the high note is very important to the overall sound.  Still in the Ab chord, HAELIUM jumps to C, Eb, G, D. This time the D (9th chord degree) is emphasized, this is what gives that Lydian #11 flavor to the Ab major chord.  



As far as I can tell, the G minor voicing is fairly standard.  It might be G-7, hard to say.  I am figuring F, Bb, D, G, like a barre on the 3rd fret of guitar, funk chord kind of voicing.  This chord can be interpreted as the only relief from the beautiful tension, since it’s voicing is fairly straightforward and light. 


Bb maj adds a melancholic hit, voiced as Bb, D, G, A.  Cool thing happening here, we are getting Bb major with the 6th and 7th right next to each other, giving a major 2nd interval crunch happening and creating a deep solemn feeling.  Furthermore, the A note stands out and shortly after we go to the Ab major chord.  Very awesome tension to have a very high A note just before Ab, sort of implies a major chord with a b9!!  Bonkers !!


The vocal melody includes a very important signature ambient thought process!  It dances around mostly stepwise between a small selection of notes, G, F, Eb, D, with the only other note being Bb, I believe, as the final resolve.  Though resolve is a loose term here, because these melodic notes in the context of the key and chords are all pretty much suspense notes.  In the context of Ab lydian they are the major 7th, major 6th, perfect 5th and sharp 11th.  All color notes, except for the 5th being the floatiest of resolve notes in any chord (out of the choices of root, 3rd, and 5th).  It’s as if HAELIUM is yearning for the past, “Please don’t fade, let’s stay here forever.  Don’t let it end”.


With nearly every musical aspect about this song being floating and unresolved, it’s a perfect compliment that HAELIUM matches it with a grounded, sharp, defined beat.  We hear a very forward sounding kick drum, a snare/clap combo (?) that cuts through the haze and subtle splashes of metallic rain hi hats.
  
 
HAELIUM builds a mournful dreamscape, longing for days gone, yet reaching for positivity to share with the future.

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