Mexican singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Julian Lamadrid has released his sophomore album, ‘Rebels of The Neon God’, on Arista Records. ‘Rebels of The Neon God’ serves as the follow up to Julian’s 2019 debut, ‘Mala Noche’. To compliment the album, Julian launched the ‘Rebel Universe,’ a virtual world inspired by the album. Fans can immerse themselves in the world of the Neon God and unlock different rooms by purchasing limited edition NFT keys.
‘Rebels of The Neon God’ is a diverse and enthralling listening experience. The impressive depth of this album is achieved by soft but rich electronics, overlaid by thick beats and the smooth, emotive vocals of Lamadrid. Free from the confines of just one genre, the album meanders between indie, alternative pop and electronic with psychedelic and tropical flirtations displayed throughout previously released singles ‘Teenager’, ‘One More Trip’, ‘Cigarette’, ‘Patience’ and ‘The Neon God’. Lamadrid’s musical prowess is in fine form on the album. Expressive soundscapes filled with bubbling beats, jaunty guitars, sweet steel drums, heavy synth pulses and washes of reverb flesh out his exhilarating treasure trove of songs, with each track’s musical arrangement complementing the overall tonality of the album.
There are many moments of excellence on ‘Rebels of The Neon God’ that display Lamadrid’s artistic talent and masterful songwriting. ’Blue’ is a sublime example of this. Lamadrid sets a dark, harrowing yet grand instrumental backdrop of jarring strings between deep piano thuds, while distressed vocals pine, “I woke up with you on my lips, Harder than a rock, I try my best to cover my ears. But the noises wouldn’t stop”. The coil of tension created for the verses evokes a sharp sense of unease before the track finally loosens for the short chorus. The emotional power ballad ‘Bang’ follows this potent lyrical thread “You’ve got a gun, You took your aim, And that gun went “Bang”, And stole my heart away, And all that I know it’s all that I gave”. Once again, Ladmadrid spreads these striking lyrics over cinematic instrumentation, uplifting brass embellishments and driving pop melodies. Lamadrid manages to whack out some infectious boppers aswell, ’Pressure’ deals with self-doubt against a glittering 80’s synth-infused backdrop that peppers the song in dance vibes, ethereal atmospheres and adrenaline.
‘Rebels of The Neon God’ is richly and carefully constructed to display Lamadrid’s exceptional knack for melody, production and poignant lyrics and the result is a passionate collection of tracks that reveals new exciting sounds, textures and lyrical undertones with each subsequent listen.
About the album, Lamadrid said: “The album is centered around the dichotomy between frustration and dance, vacancy and ecstasy; enlightenment through pain. I have glimpsed into the eyes of The Neon God, pierced through the void and come out the other end, desperate for connection, hungry for the eternal.”
Stream ‘Rebels of The Neon God’ below
Author: Danu
