What are we t a l k i n g a b o u t ?
Illuminations by FM Skyline is a nostalgic, bold MIDIwave album recently released on vinyl, CD, cassette as well as virtually through the beloved and legendary vaporware label, 100% Electronica.
After a chat with the artist behind FM Skyline, Pete, I learned quite a bit about what made Illuminations the musical giant that it is.
FM Skyline is a producer/composer with a true eclectic taste for all things musical, pulling inspiration from the likes of Debussy to classic Sega Genesis soundtracks. Mix that with a strong admiration for vaporware veterans such as James Ferraro and Vektroid, and you’ve got a guaranteed trip down memory lane whenever you turn on an FM Skyline album.
(Satie + VGM + plunderphonics = audio bliss)
Pete was very generous to share with me a bit about what was going on with them personally while writing this album. They unfortunately lost a dear friend at the beginning of the writing process, and obviously that put the writing on pause. They mentioned the difficulty of attempting to create while going through such a tragic loss. Later as they were finishing up the album, life got in the way even more. All that being said, there is a reason or two why this album is so emotionally filled to the proverbial brim, Pete had a ton going on. However, they have managed to create something beautiful out of a truly heart-breaking situation.
When I first began listening to vaporwave, Pete was one of my biggest inspirations, being that they also create non-sample-based vaporware. Another thing that I admire about Pete is their use of one synth on an album. They mentioned to me that the majority of the harmonic and melodic content on this album was created from a hardware synthesizer: the Yamaha SY55, a sample-based synth from the early 1990’s.
(((p l a y BY p l a y)))
Before I dig deeper into this album, it must be noted that the format of this album roughly represents that of an opera (including a prelude, overture and intermezzo). FM’s cultured sense of musicianship peppered throughout the album adds to their album’s sense of inclusion. It’s so wonderful how accessible this album is for any type of music lover, not just in the vaporware scene. While the majority of FM’s music sends me to my childhood memories, looking at the track list sent me back to Senior year of high school back in the early 2000’s when I was taking an opera history class. :)
All that being said, let’s dig into it.
We start off with a beautiful song titled Prelude. We are initially lulled into a hypnotic, barebones waltz (3/4: a time signature very rarely heard in electronic music). This use of an uneven meter gives us a sense of rocking back and forth, constantly hitting the strong beat on a different side each measure. It also harkens back to the classical roots we see in the titles. Prelude is a charming, harmonic dance between major and the relative minor hinting at themes of despair, triumph and everything in between. Buried overtones in the MIDI patches rise to the surface.
This is also one of the tunes that uses one of my personal favorite jazz devices: the 2 5 1 (borrowed or diatonic), a device used across the board from all jazz artists from Count Basie to John Coltrane. We’ll return to the topic of John Coltrane later, when we talk about Harlequin.
The next track, Overture begins with flange-filled and washed out drums. They gradually come flying toward us as we enter a vapor biome I’ve never heard before. Plucky basses bounce past as wailing pads come soaring by, hitting me in the face. It doesn’t hurt though, feels good. Pan flutes arpeggiate and pulse as they weave in and out. As the warm, sentimental musical layers get stripped away, those wailing pads stick around to welcome me to this new, inebriated world of nostalgia and joy.
Next up is the tune, Veranda. Bells: good to see/hear you! A welcomed entity to any FM Skyline composition is some bright bells with some wistful overtones.
Listen, this song is a vibe. It’s also my favorite track on the album. It’s also my favorite track in Pete’s discography. Pete has done some amazing harmonic work, laying down a beautiful chord progression.
I actually took the time to transcribe the progression at the piano.
The initial vamp is:
Am7 Bbmaj9
Starting out on the iii chord. Love it.
There is an incredibly heartwarming 251 from the borrowed IV key at 1:22 and 2:29 that is teased throughout the song through this progression:
Am7 Bbmaj9 Gm7 Am7 Dm7 [Cm7 F7] Bbmaj7
Possibly one of the most beautiful chord progressions I’ve heard in the vaporwave scene. This is just solid composition.
This song really does a lot for me. I hear old Sega Genesis with Art Blakey on Drums and Victor Wooten on bass. But those 251s, they give me a yearning for Saturday morning cartoons in the 90’s.
Makes me want to pick up the phone and order Nickelodeon magazine, PLEASE!
Following Veranda is another one of my favorites, the wandering, Harlequin (another dramatic reference, this time to the Italian commedia dell’arte). The harlequin is a stock comedic character from the 17th century art form.
We’ve got another unique chord progression in this tune. I am officially categorizing this tune as the “Giant Steps of Vaporwave.” For any of you not familiar with jazz, John Coltrane took the original changes penned by George Gershwin, “Rhythm Changes” and adapted them into his own set of changes that take a wild ride through a variety of keys. Even the most veteran jazz players sometimes struggle to keep up with Giant Steps being that improvising over it is basically a constant theoretical nightmare as you attempt to find chord tones within the rapidly changing keys.
FM Skyline has created an incredibly rambunctious and meandering chord progression that gives off a subtle comedic vibe. It remains wistful (in line with the album), however that wandering harmony gives us a sense of adventure and fun.
I tried my best not to ask Pete about the chord progressions, trying to figure it out myself.
What I heard was:
Bbm7 Dbmaj7 Gbmaj7 Fmaj7 Dbmaj7 Eb.
The Fmaj7 Dbmaj7 and Eb all in a row really messed with me, in a great way…especially coming off a Gb major chord. It’s very reminiscent of the overloaded major chord section of The Beatles’, A Day in the Life.
There’s a reason this song was released prior to the album as a single. It’s incredibly unique being that it gives the listener a serene, fun sonic soundscape to run through.
Next, we bring the mood to a darker place with the tune, Shadow: the new age Lavender town theme. Hints of evil and deception are peppered throughout. Drums and percs are introduced as we transfer seamlessly into the song, Spectre.
This song is very reminiscent of a few tracks off of Pete’s album liteware. The Inverted seventh chord arpeggios are so reminiscent of 90’s jazz fusion. The bells take the lead on this tune.
As we reach the midpoint of the album, it’s clear Pete paid a lot of attention to make sure the album was filled with a variety of tempi, just like an opera or a musical: ballads, comedic songs, up-tempos. The analogous draw to theatre is so intriguing.
Things slow down even more as the song, Intermezzo begins. Oh my…the gated drums on this tune. I thought I was listening to the Seiken Densetsu 3 soundtrack by Hiroki Kikuta. I immediately wanted to pick up a controller and start slaying rabites.
This song also contains another one of my favorite MIDI patches: the FM horn. Pete makes sure to give those horns lots of TLC by adding vibrato as well as some pitch bend. The pan flute and low marimba bassline add to that “Mana” vibe even more.
Around halfway, we’re even introduced to some throwback TR-808 percs: *chef’s kiss.*
Veil starts up our presumed next act. A gorgeous chord progression is thrown our way on the electric piano. Right away, we hear some more drums with phaser? Maybe flanger? Hard to tell, but it gives us that “wavy feel.” The drums swirl around my head like the friendliest, most patient vultures on planet Vapor. We’ve even got some tremolo/noise gate on the keys!
About a minute in, we hear a pleading, bendy guitar solo. It reminded me Steve Howe ripping a guitar solo on the Relayer album.
This song is also different in that it seemingly has an AABA form. There is a mysterious bridge section with tons of downward building momentum.
Next up is, Simulacrum. It features one of my favorite features of Pete’s music: in and out of tune pads…they ebb and flow like the tide on a vapor beach. Throw in a seemingly reverberated Seinfeld slap bass and some electric piano, and you’ve got vapor gold. We are then introduced to some throwback percs reminiscent of N64’s Goldeneye. I want to say Grant Kirkhope used these percs in the Facility level (around the 2:30 mark).
Following Simulacrum is Classique. This song has a SPICY snare. We feel like we’re zooming down Ocean Drive in Miami in a convertible in 1991, hair blowing in the wind. Well, I’m bald. But, you get the idea. There’s another fantastic solo on this tune.
Luminaire has some more in and out of key pads. We’ve also got some percs with a massive amount of stereo width that make me feel like I’m sitting in a huge concert hall. Over to the left, I hear some bitcrushed arps along with some cheesy MIDI guitar. The good cheesy though.
Orb is also decorated with fantastic throwback MIDI leads bouncing around. I’ve been listening to this one in the car. The kick KICKS on this one. As Pete begins to bring the album to a close, the drums get pulled as we prepare for the final track, Rêve.
Rêve also contains those same type of bare, simple chords from the introductory song. However, we are now in common time (rather than 3/4). This is such a spectacular way to close out the album, such a sense of finality.
We finish out the album with white noise…as if a radio show just ended.
Curtain.
B O T T O M L I N E . E X E
Illuminations by FM Skyline is a harmonically-packed, joyful romp through a variety of musical genres. It is definitely one of my favorite all-time vaporwave albums.
C:\Where?
The LP was released by 100% Electronica virtually as well as on vinyl, CD, and cassette. You can purchase the album at (https://fmskyline100p.bandcamp.com/album/illuminations).
There’s M O R E!
If you’re interested in checking out FM Skyline live, they will be headlining the second night of
Pudinapalooza on Sep 24th (hosted by 100% Electronica). You can check out the link below to purchase tickets. The first night (9/23) will feature other acts such as: Negative Gemini, Caroline Loveglow, Glume and John Bryars. The second night (9/24) will feature, Equip, CD Ghost as well as a few DJ sets by George Clanton throughout the night!
FM Skyline will also be playing in their hometown of Richmond Virginia on October 2nd with Vaperror, Trapcry and Archangel.
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