What are we t a l k i n g a b o u t ?
Sunset Dreaming by Tupperwave is the tropical, hybrid, sweet and sour classic vapor getaway that we've all been searching for to soothe our souls. Grab a drink, put on some headphones and close your eyes, because you're in for a treat with this one.
TW is easily one of the most prolific producers within the vaporwave scene. Their most noticeable trait is their kindness by an absolute landslide. Within a community that is self-reliant upon inner-genre support, TW is by far one of the most outgoing and generous artists within the scene. These admirable traits breathe life into the entire Tupperwave discography, pulling samples from some of the most melodic R&B earworms I've ever heard. The sincerity and pure nostalgia rings out throughout the entirety of "Sunset Dreaming." When the evil side of the album is introduced, it just makes the sincerity even sweeter.
Tupperwave shared with me their vision for the album:
I tried to capture a tropical island sunset with unsettling undertones. The collection of samples that I pieced together was carefully thought out to give the listener a variety of emotional responses.
In addition, on this album I used some new mastering approaches. On this particular album, I tried to draw out the original drums and make them more punchy, creating a more modern sound. Once it was at a more modern point, I pulled the mix back to give it a bit of a grainy Vapor goodness.
But that's not all, TW also let us in on some of their favorite VSTs.
Some of the stand outs:
-Wow n' Flutter (free)
-Bionic Supa Delay (free)
-Izotope Vinyl (free)
-Glitch 2
-Valhalla Reverbs
In addition, they also provided some advice for any producers out there just getting started in the vaporwave scene:
My biggest piece of advice for anyone wanting to get into the vaporwave space is to join the enthusiastic community online and dive in headfirst to create your own vaporwave sound. It can be as simple or complex as you like. Don't overthink it, and remember ANYTHING can be vaporwave.
Well put.
(((p l a y BY p l a y)))
This album starts with the track Tunnel of Love and PUNCHES YOU IN THE FACE, and it goes right for the kill. We are on the beach, but something's NOT right. Sharks in the water? Corporate America coming to take over? 40 foot waves? Something's up. Warped samples crash down on the sand with the strength of 20 SNES bosses.
But then, we open up the doors and we land in the world of classic vaporwave with the track Waterfall Rainbows. When we close our eyes, we're sitting by the pool sipping on a daiquiri. This may not be our first one. The warble of the electric keys sets a serene yet uneasy tone that sticks around for the entirety of the album.
One of my favorite parts of the album is the occasional hard cuts on the track ending. It brings memories of old eccojams.
We then stumble upon the track Palace in the Clouds. This is definitely my favorite track on the album. It is the first track to introduce those classic haunting vapor vocals. The combination of vocals with the pristine, trickling electric keys is a match made in heaven. TW does a fantastic job of finding the exact right key and tempo. I'd also have to admit they're definitely an EQ master to be able to bring out those drums from the original sample.
Get ready for some SAXOPHONES! Here comes When I Needed You Most. This track has some real screwed up cuts that mess with me. In a good way.
After that is Sandwave. We're building sand castles on the beach under a partly cloudy sky. The warbling leads dance around and taunt the listener. It's such a mixed feeling...bliss and uneasiness mixed.
We are then propelled into a drum loop of a nearly identical BPM with Lost in Your Soul. I can't put my finger on the original sample, but I'm obsessed with the eerie chord progression. There's a disturbing choice to use a b2 chord throughout the entirety of the sample, but it's lovely and other-worldly.
Next up is Boulevard of Bouncy Beats. This is another one of my favorites. This track has a real drive to it. There's that thick Moog bass combined with that triumphant snare/clap combo and over-the-top tom fills and tritone subs galore. TW also chose to include the key solo at the end of the track that really encapsulates the "out" solo with the use of non-chord tones. This is something that's very near and dear to myself as a jazz-lover.
Rendered Romance had to be ripped from that mini-film that's played right before the coming attractions. "Please be quiet during the feature film. Emergency exits are located here, here and here. Enjoy the movie." The vocalese and idle claves bring about a sense of final-Jeopardy countdown anticipation that I haven't experienced in a VW track before.
The next track is cleverly titled Jungle Picnic. Hollow percs bounce around in my head, covered in a veil of lush pads. The massive drums come raining down from the sky. A band of angels join in with their Korg Wavestations. This tune is one of the only tunes with a very delicate, gradual fade.
Throughout the album, there are a wide variety of transitions from quick and slow fades to hard cuts as wall as completely connected tracks that are played straight through.
Here comes Crystal Structures with a bouncy drum beat and a downward key glissando. This track hits hard. Thick, thick bass and kick cohesion.
What I really love about this tune is the inclusion of bowed strings. It really gives the track a unique feel, blending classical music elements into a chillwave tune.
Floating Away From Love is the penultimate track on the LP. It's anthemic. It's a vapor fanfare with echoing chants and sweet string layers. This track walks us to bed and puts on our favorite lullaby, Sleepy Time.
I love endings like this. Tupperwave takes their original vision, a combination of comfort and evil, and ends the album with a track that sounds like a broken lullaby that ends mid-song. The ultimate lullaBYE!
This is one of my favorite ends of any vaporwave album. It takes a bold producer to just cut off their final track. And we all know bold choices often pay off.
B O T T O M L I N E . E X E
Sunset Dreaming by Tupperwave is so many things. It's adventurous. It's nostalgic. It's blasphemous. It's welcoming. It does everything a successful album does. It is most definitely worth a listen and a purchase!
C:\Where?
The LP was self-released by Tupperwave on their Bandcamp page. You can purchase the album at (https://thevaporroom.bandcamp.com).
While you're at it, you should also pick up the new vinyl pressing of Koala Korp II brought to you by My Pet Flamingo. (https://mypetflamingo.bandcamp.com/album/koala-korp-ii)
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