Music Review - Telepath's We will walk along the coast together (仮想夢プラザ : 一緒に海岸を歩きます)

No other artist has been able to capture that certain nostalgic feeling quite like Telepath.

Hailing from the somewhat recent musical phenomenon known as Vaporwave, which is difficult to fully categorize as a musical genre as it takes on many different forms, Telepath has created his own distinct and visionary style. This particular piece of music is from his Virtual Dream Plaza series. Each track spans some 32 minutes - repetitive and enduring, they are lovely, dreamy pieces, evoking pleasant memories of days gone by.

The artist uses his own trademark blend of reverb, delay and flange effects, through which he cleverly flows slowed-down samples of ‘easy listening’ and '80s Muzak, creating a timeless sound, as if recalling some beautiful golden memory.

Another feature of his Virtual Dream Plaza series is the use of images and titles that are somewhat defined and help conjure the imagery - his tracks often use photos of Asian women for their covers, as if evoking some ‘80s ideal of beauty or the exotic from Japan.

The piece I’ve chosen to highlight here is called ‘We will walk along the coast together’ (緒に海岸を歩きます). The song features a brushed jazz-drum track. Its hi-hats trickle in and out, playing with the reverb and the sampled ocean sounds, bringing to mind the gentle lapping sea. The piano tells a caressingly romantic story, which repeats through various stages, whilst the slow plucked base keeps things in sync - a great relaxation piece.