Multifaceted music producer/artist A.STEEL drops his new project Honing Home, a 7 track body of work that blends experimental production, electronic and synth-based music in his own distinct manner. Besides the nonconformist style, the producer ties the entire project with a message that reminds listeners that home is where the heart is.
“Hometown” is the first track that sets the tone of the project with its cienmatic style of narration. Filled with a mix of non-diegetic and diegetic sound design and a voice-over that takes listeners into the mix of the action. This is followed by “Watery Bond”, an anthemic-sounding synth-driven track with layered textures and a thumping drum groove to match. There is a type of aquatic atmosphere exuding from the track as well and listeners are drawn in by the commanding vocal that reminds us of what family and kinship should be. It’s quite edgy and somewhat trippy but mostly enthralling. Next up is “Keeping Happy” with its somewhat hushed drum grooves and video-game-inspired synth plucks. The production is pretty dynamic and slowly builds into a frenzy with sizzling arpeggios. dark pads and pulsating bass lines that tie everything up.

“From The Ground Up” starts off with a dusty swinging drum break padded by a distorted synth lead and singular solemn string stab. More elements do show up as cinematic pads come into play with an 8-bit-sounding synth. Overall, the track has a moody and weirdly comforting aesthetic that feels like home. On, “Honing Home” the main draw for us is the surreal synth arrangement and experimental sound that strays from conforming to any genre or box. It’s a bit of dystopian electronic-inspired sound with a touch of downtempo trap. Ultimately it all depends on who you ask as it won’t be fair to label it as a particular thing. “Breathing in Rain” goes for a darker and melancholic feel with its layered sound design using non-diegetic elements such as breathing and raindrops. This is all underpinned by muffled drum grooves and A.STEEL’s mellow performance style. Over the backdrop, he calmly utters  Breathing in the rain/healing of the pain/Our lives are not the same/Nobody wants the pain” and turns it into some sort of mantra for listeners to reflect on.

 

The final track “Life Is Uncertain” lives up to its name with its dark and edgy sound made up of arpeggiated lead synths and a woozy pad with ominous aesthetics. This ends with a short and profound quote by the artist which goes “Life is short, everything changes, nothing lasts

 

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