Antherius

Decadent but never excessively so, the melodies that comprise the cornerstones of Antherius’ “Midnight Cowboy” are lush and full of color, standing in firm contrast with the lifeless imagery they encounter in the music video made for the song. Difficult to describe using the mundane genre terminology applicable to most popular music, this version of “Midnight Cowboy” is a deeply inspirational anthem of resilience, hypnotic rhythms and surreal harmonies that embody the New York persona better than words ever could. Antherius holds nothing back in his experimental efforts here, and for his labor, we’re awarded a rare-quality release indeed. 

MORE ON ANTHERIUS: http://www.antherius.com/ 

There isn’t a lot of bass presence in the master mix of this single, and yet the music feels startlingly heavy and brooding as we get deeper into the song. The percussion never overtakes the synthesized harmonies occupying the front of the track, but its gentle thrust frames the sharp tones of the guitar parts exquisitely. There’s a moment towards the conclusion of “Midnight Cowboy” in which it’s hard to tell which sounds are born of strings and which of synths, but not as a result of muddy mixing. This is ethereal melodicism in stereo, and it doesn’t need any further definition to impart a bold statement to listeners. 

I’m not usually big on experimental content, but when it comes to the gripping sounds of Antherius’ “Midnight Cowboy,” it’s too difficult to stay away. One of the finer covers I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing in 2020, “Midnight Cowboy” is a composition that didn’t need a video to standout, but all the same, gets a visual accompaniment that might be even greater than its music is. I wasn’t following Antherius as closely as I should have been prior to now, but after this, I can safely say that’s going to change without a doubt.

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Trace Whittaker

Newcastle-upon-Tyne

5/2020