Instrumental music is a tough genre to crack. Not only do you need to have complete mastery of every musical element within a composition, but you also need to imbue your work with your own flair and style, lest it becomes bland, or even worse, forgettable. That’s why when we heard that Versal had released his new project, “Versal Volume 2,” we were curious to see how he’d progress his music.
Versal, also known as Javier Velez, is a musician based in Houston, Texas who’s garnered a reputation by making soulful instrumental music over the years. Mixing many different influences, his work tends to have an epic quality, carrying unmatched emotion and gravitas without needing a single spoken line. So, does “Versal Volume 2” live up to the hype?
It’s important to note that “Versal Volume 2” was designed to be a meditative experience. It’s full of rich and lush soundscapes, each song sporting its very own character and range of emotions. The album really shows off Versal’s impressive grasp on the technicalities of his craft, playing with different instruments to generate different moods for every song.
From more soft, peaceful tunes to abrasive, harsher songs, the album is surprisingly diverse. Tracks like “The Guardians Of Montserrat” use larger-than-life synths and droning ambience to fill the listener with the sense of foreboding, a technique that you often see get used in movie soundtracks or big video game OSTs. Creative use of instruments elevates this feeling even further, making for an astounding listen.
One of the album’s highlights has to be “Vivi Aquas Montserrate,” a piece with many-layered sounds being utilized to generate a calm atmosphere. It’s a very busy song, but it can feel surprisingly cold and quiet, thanks to clever arrangements. An absolute behemoth of a synth line also finds its way into the song, making for a killer hook that won’t leave your head hours after you’ve listened to it.
Overall, “Versal Volume 2” is very much an experience. Like watching a seasoned artist painting a lush landscape, Versal takes command of his bevy of instruments to create auditory experiences unlike any other. He also manages to create his very own brand of instrumental music, with strong synth hooks and atmospheric arrangements as his base. The album gets a hearty recommendation from us, check it out!
Links to connect Versal:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3hYeiQiuWT3Sqbi6aSyJas
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL7Gkm9n94CGtKVoBhE0S9g
https://soundcloud.com/user-169408811-776645746
https://versalmusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Versal-Music-2259540790751384/
Not the Usual LICK Publicist! 27 yrs in the biz ~Worldwide! Actual Peer of the Realm~Unitarian Universalist Pragmatic Buddhist~ PROUD GAY Liberal
