New Age Dark Age

so creative i love u soo much ತ_ಎತ

Track-By-Track Album Review 1. Edge of the World - 4.5/5 An intro track that perfectly introduces the album. The L/R panning just before the first chorus gives an unexpected jump to new listeners and gives it extra impact. The organic-sounding introduction and atmospheric conclusion are excellent, and the entirety of the song shows what Karma Fields is capable of. 2. Stickup (feat. Juliette Lewis) - 4/5 This song is more than a bit crazy. In spite of the complaints about the vocals, I personally feel like they do npt distract all that much from the track. The surging electro bass is likely courtesy of MORTEN, the co-producer. This does have a much harder feel than most songs on the album. The intro has a broken tonality to it, and the vocals are cut in a way that is oddly pleasing. 3. For Me - 3.5/5 Does the song have a surging energy? Yes. Does it have the best use of a moving flanger I've ever heard? Definitely. But there is far too much sameness for me to give it a higher rating. The build to the first drop is quite interesting, but as a song, it is only pretty good. The vocals do add something to the track that gives it a bit more depth, but ultimately the track does not really shine as much as other songs on the album. 4. Skyline - 4.5/5 The entire song works with itself, and the energy does not feel synthetic. Everything builds upon itself, and that is one reason I like this track. It's got a nice energy to it, the build with reverb slowly being added makes an amazing sense of dimension. The vocoder on the vocals sounds like water and I love it. I cannot help but feel like the song can be even better, though. If one part felt like a climax as opposed to buildup, then I may have given this a perfect score. 5. Fixed_ - 3.5/5 To me, there seems to be a large disconnect between the separate parts in this song, from the different sections to just different pieces. If that was intentional, then it was spot on. There's heavy amounts of distortion in this song, which sometimes aids in the its energy, but not always. This wasn't my kind of song, I guess. 6. Greatness (feat. Talib Kweli) - 4/5 This song is the only hip hop-inspired song, and it still seems to follow the same theme as the rest of the album: dark electronic music with unconventional production. Personally, the song felt aggressive, but it first had to grow on me before I could really appreciate it. There is very powerful low end, and Talib Kwali does a great job on the mic. This is a song that you like the more you listen to it, and you will continually notice new things in the production each time. 7. Scandal (feat. C.C. Sheffield) - 4/5 The percussion in this track is personally one of my favorite parts of it as well as the use of vocal chops. There is some use of what sounds like feedback, and that is fascinating to me. The entire song has some nice elements put into it, and it has a droning atmosphere to it. I like the song, but I do feel that there is a need for more transitioning between sections. 8. Build the Cities (feat. Kerli) - 4.75/5 Well, this is the big one, and for good reason. I would say my opinions are biased because I've heard the song so much, but each play solidifies my appreciation further for Karma's work. The introduction throws the listener off beat, and every time I listen, I have to readjust my walk so I can actually walk to the rhythm of the song. The arpeggiated lead is addictive, memorable, and gives a very nice groove. Kerli is a spectacular vocalist, and makes the track even better. The song is so close to perfect; all the drop needs is some more contrast between it and the verses, and it would have been a perfect ten. 9. Skewed - 4/5 I like this track a lot. It is far from normal, and the vocal chops sound funky and really pleasing to the point where they sound like they belong in the song. The piano in this track is never sudden, but you do not know when it comes in. It is a cohesive track that has an above average sound to it. 10. Faint Echos (feat. Monarchy) - 4/5 The buildup to the drop is stunning and is beautifully melodic. It has mainstream vibes to the point where it could easily be generic, but it never is. The vocals are mixed in an interesting manner, as they seem less blended together than the prior tracks; I am quite fond of this decision. The vocals are very pretty and the song does not drag too much. The ending constantly compiles sounds from previous moments of the track, thus emphasizing the theme of echoing. 11. A Bright but Distant Future - 3/5 To me, there is too much sameness and recycling in this song for me to enjoy it all that much. I also find the shocking amount of clipping/distortion in this song distracting as well as the sidechain. It felt just a touch too strong for me. The song is solid, but that is all I can really say about it. To me, it just seemed off, and I cannot enjoy it all that much. 12. Build the Cities + (feat. Kerli) - 3/5 Even if I were holding the same grading of this song as the original, I would still mark it lower. The extra vocals sound out of place, were obviously added later, and they draw from the rest of the song. It feels like the lower end is slightly weaker than the original, making it feel less full and more airy than it needs to be. This version of Build the Cities feels like a lazy afterthought to me.

Karma Fields is a bit of an acquired taste. Some despise him and believe him to be overrated while others praise him for his individuality and uniqueness he expresses in his music. I'll admit I didn't quite see the appeal of him when I first heard Build The Cities, but when I heard Skyline I knew he was special. This artist brings something unique to not only Monstercat, but the industry itself. It pains me to see such negative feedback in the comments section on his releases, though I can understand why some don't like him. "New Age | Dark Age" contains tracks which can definitely be enjoyed on their own, but as I've sat here listening to them while studying for my AP Psych exam, I must admit, listening to the LP all the way through is a rewarding experience, though I will also admit that I replayed "For Me" more than one time during my time listening. This LP overall brings the listener on a journey open to extreme potential for varying interpretations. I personally got the sense of constant looming danger, an anxious need for movement, yet at the same time an overwhelming sense of bliss. While songs like "Stickup" and "Scandal" can definitely take some getting used to, "Edge of the World", "For Me", and "Fixed_" were incredibly enjoyable on the first listen. Karma Fields certainly had a lot to prove to me going into this LP and I can confidently say that I finished it extremely pleased. He has placed himself towards the top of my personal favorite Monstercat artists and I would highly recommend this album if you have enjoyed a single one of his releases or enjoy experimental, strange music. This LP was worth every penny to me and I will definitely be keeping an eye out for his future content.

I can admit I wasn't a huge fan but once I heard the preview for for Edge of the world I got pretty hyped and the album is worth the wait and money.

Karma Fields is one of those artists that is not liked by many due to his music that is very outstanding from others. Karma Fields is hard to enjoy, but if you do enjoy him, you love him to bits. It's a shame to see this true artist get so much hate on his Monstercat releases. "He's overrated." "His songs are odd." Wrong. Karma Fields has amazing talent and originality. The album has finally been released and I must say, I love this album. Karma Fields shows off his unforgettable style in a powerful and dark sounding LP. The whole album is stunning. Every time I listen to it, my mind is sent on a journey of bliss. Karma Fields definitely deserves more attention than he has, and he needs far less hate.

I'm so glad I found this artist, buy the album you won't be disappointed

I have been incredibly stoked about this album for weeks now. I logged onto iTunes at 12:03 AM to check out all the songs- I was not disappointed! Karma Fields is the best artist on Monstercat!! I intend on buying it, after I get some sleep, of course!

Karma fields is probably the greatest artist in monstercat in my opinion. Every song is original as hell and great

I'm loving Karma Fields' style so far. With Greatness, we see that Karma Fields is just an amazing experimental artist who has no boundaries and full of so much potential. I am so excited to hear the entire album and what other tunes Karma has come up with. ❤️💛💚💙💜💝💖💗

This is going to be amazing. So diverse and dark. Perfect