Orionjustmelted: “Frog Box” – If you are looking for a musical adventure

Wistful, haunting and mesmerizing, “Frog Box” is simply the quaintest work of alternative music I have heard in a while. Unlike much of the music in that category it never goes over the top with its beats or vocals but stays happily mellow and yet never gets boring. In a genre where other artists tend to get off track with ear-grinding over-the-top soundscapes that is just there to give you a headache, Orionjustmelted makes you just want to close your eyes and admire the wonder of the musical landscapes he paints with his instruments -complete with magical worlds of friendly jumping frogs, wide open vistas, and endless skies. How can simple music show you all of this without the aid of a single visual effects artist? Listen and find out.

Yes, music is all subjective and everybody has an opinion, but I am a picky listener who is constantly in search of something that hits me in the spot, and for me, “Frog Box” is simply perfect. Orionjustmelted and all of the resources he pulls together for this album simply works on many levels for me.

Happy, sad, rich, deep, fun, and at times a lushness that is a guilty pleasure. There is no pretentiousness nor out of bounds ambition. No record label pressure, and certainly no obligation to scale the radio charts. This is simply a young artist unfolding his creativity and laying it across 16 tracks.

I’m a newcomer to Orionjustmelted, and this is apparently a great introduction. And yes, there’s certainly an innocent retro feel on this from time to time, but not in an overbearing way. I’ve played samples of this for friends and associates who range from 15 to 45, and they have all responded quite favorably, if not with full and wide-eyed enthusiasm.

If you are looking for a bit of a musical adventure, with a few surprises, this is something you may consider. Orionjustmelted uses plenty of pianos, synths and cinematic soundscapes. Sometimes they can be sparse, and at others quite layered and lush.

All throughout the recording Orionjustmelted never sticks to any one sound, so you cannot really put him into a genre box. Sometimes his chill, then ambient, at others his darkwave or shoegaze, and even a kind of baroque pop.

His voice is melodic and conversational, and almost always in storytelling mode, which seems to be his predilection. Orionjustmelted seems to be occupied with telling stories and creating imagery via his music and likes.

Orionjustmelted’s unique use of electronic sounds, monologues, hushed vocals, and fat sounds will certainly etch him a place in your playlist when you’ve finally tired of all the formulaic radio junk you’ve put together. Listen to the mellifluous bounce of “Mutuality”, then sink into the epic atmosphere of “Toad Train”.

Savor the melancholic pace of “All The Time You Need”, then dive into the bird effects on the spacey “Orion’s Office Library”. Now leap to the syncopated piano riffs on “Orion’s Inconsistency”. Now slide through the slow burn of “A Saloon in Space”.

Lyrically and melodically, “Catholic Church” was my absolute favorite track in this collection. But these are just a small selection of the varying soundscapes Orionjustmelted dabbles with on this album. No two songs sound alike, and none pander to conventional pop elements.

This album tells a selection of stories from beginning to end, and will make you feel all the moods along the way. Like all things new, you may be taken aback on first listen, but run it through a couple of times and you’ll be hooked by its diversity and its majestic otherworldliness. “Frog Box” is absolutely fresh and aurally satisfying.

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