Album Review: Sunstrike

Morning Arc, the opening track from Ghost Score’s newest offering Sunstrike, sets you up with a rhythmic idea before slowly introducing melodic drones and motifs that build upon each other. It reminds me of the music from the game Wipeout, that era when we were hearing new instruments and sounds through groups like The Chemical Brothers.

The song moves through different samples and textures, creating landscapes and rhythmic ideas. About halfway through, you hear what sounds like a sampled harp, layered over a very techno and dance-based beat. The whole idea of this music is to create a vibe and an atmosphere, exploring it through different sections by moving the dynamics and layers up and down.

Alan Molina is someone who understands how to compose music, and more importantly, how to appreciate it. In a world of TikTok and quick fixes, sometimes the joy comes from actually soaking in an experience. And this album is exactly that. While the opening track showcases certain compositional ideas, so does every track that follows. Take Reflections, for example: at around 2:53, the song shifts gear. There are so many ideas and rhythms perfectly in sync. Arpeggios playing against each other. The kick drum landing on the one-and. A pulse, a sense that music is a journey.

As I moved through the album, I felt nods to many different genres and composers. At times it recalls Hans Zimmer; at others, famous hip-hop producers and samplers who have pushed music into new territory and made it feel exciting and fresh. More than anything, the album title Sunstrike should tell you exactly what you’re in for: something cinematic. Put some headphones on, go for a walk through the city or a park in the morning sun. Let the music guide your thoughts.

On the title track Sunstrike, about 50 seconds in, a shining melodic sound is introduced, jumping the mode while still giving the listener a chance to breathe. I’d also imagine Alan is a fan of LCD Soundsystem, because Sunstrike builds into a beautiful crescendo near the end, anchored by what sounds like a violin.

Which brings me to this: Alan Molina is also First Violinist for the NZSO. As a music teacher myself, I’d say that means he knows a thing or two about how music is made.

What I appreciated throughout the album was how many different styles and influences were woven in, ones that some listeners might not even notice. Yet as an avid listener, I could always get a sense of which idea or motif I was meant to follow. That’s what a good composer does: take a theme and explore it in different ways. You can feel the refinement in every track.

And in perfect taste, the final track Amber Ember opens with an almost Kraftwerk-esque intro before heading off into its own dimension.

This is a fantastic album, one that gives the listener a chance to explore some beautifully designed soundscapes.