Last Ronin: “Meditate” – an essential listen
Last Ronin has been blowing up all over the place. He has a unique style that combines melodic Pop vocals with some of the best produced Dubstep around. When he released his 4-track EP “Incognito” during 2015, I quickly took notice. I was drawn to his style and found myself waiting for what he had next. What he has delivered is the seven track album, “Meditate” that builds upon the sound he started just over 2 years ago. And which is inspired by the likes of KOAN sound, Seven Lions and Mitis. The album opens up with an overload of catchy sounds on “Reconnect” Ft. Kailey Elizabeth that is made to knock the ceiling out of mainstream radio. Subtle synths, pianos and wobbles are everywhere, while the female vocals sound great: “Baby what’s your magic, baby what’s your spell. You got me so attracted, but you put me through your hell.”
The production on this track and the whole album is incredible. The drop on this song is on the more melodic side. The vocals are sweet and smooth, while the bass is linear and consistent. The song construction on this is another strong point, showing that Last Ronin, the man behind the production, has a real talent for crafting music. This is a song that will make people’s heads turn. “Interstellar” has a nostalgic feel to it while keeping Last Ronin’s signature sound intact.
Last Ronin carefully crafted every lyric, the instrumentation, the song order, and nurtured this album like it’s a new born baby. Many people are used to the all-out and upfront nature of Last Ronin displayed through his earlier music, but this album displays every dimension of him.
From start to finish head-bobbing is a must, and at many points it’s hard to stay in your seat and resist jumping up and down with abandon. If you aren’t a fan of EDM or a seasoned veteran it is hard to hate this album. In fact, it’s hard not to absolutely love this album.
The album is packed with carefully chosen lyrics, catchy tunes and high-energy dance numbers that you would expect to find in a club or even in a set of headphones. The album demonstrates that Last Ronin is not only influenced by the hard, rough sounds of dubstep but also the softer sounds of pop and dance music which are also featured on the album.
One of my favorite tracks on the album has to be the slow building “Ancient Past” ft. Tom Evans which starts off sweetly with drops of synthesizers drifting in and out, building up to a powerful chorus which displays why Last Ronin is the one to watch out for.
The simple electronic chords combined with the drums and the harmony between the pads make “Daydream” an essential listen – while it is clear throughout “Desistance” that this track can be admired for its wide variety of explosive Dubstep and electronic sounds that demonstrate how far Last Ronin has come as a producer.
Structurally the songs seem to flow into one another with ease making it seem like the EDM music will never stop. I feel Last Ronin has provided his listeners with a strong album that manages to display his ability to explore new styles whilst maintaining his ability to produce high quality EDM tracks.
February has been an undeniably big month for new music in almost every genre imaginable. Not to be outshone by his contemporaries, EDM now has its certified flavor of the month from Last Ronin.
“Meditate” is definitely an album that fits in with the EDM masses. It does what it sets out to do, and it does it surprisingly well. The album is filled to the brim with energy and cutting edge arrangements, and just when it’s about to implode, the songs end. Adding dynamic and sultry voices on top of those results brings something emotional and diverse to the table.
This album is going to appeal to a large group of people, and there’s a reason for that. It’s anthemic, it’s energetic, and it embodies all that electronic dance music should without overstaying its welcome. There’s a lot to like about this album and for that reason alone, it gets our sound approval!
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