WORLD MAKING is a stirring new album from Made-Up, impressing across both serene ambient-forward soundscapes and vocal-laden rock nostalgia. The project crafted the album over the span of five years, initially beginning as folk/acoustic demos and expanding spontaneously into creative, stimulating productions. I’m excited to be one of the first people to hear the album — and it’s a fantastic listening experience. A single — “All the Mothers” — is out now, and the album is out February 7th, 2025.
“Male” opens the album with a whirring effervescence, intertwining synth glimmering and click-clacking rhythmic playfulness. Its lush enticement traverses seamlessly into the subsequent “A Moment in Time,” compelling in a nostalgic melding of jangling guitars and heartfelt vocal serenity. Right away, WORLD MAKING impresses with a knack for melodically blissful soundscapes — both across electronic-friendly realms and rock-touched intrigue. The compelling production continues throughout, stirring in both abstract instrumentals like “This Century” and spirited vocal-driven anthems like “Almost Together.”
The momentum conveyed on “Almost Together” is infectious, building from quaint rhythms into warming bass and swelling vocals. “All The Mothers” succeeds in a similarly consuming vocal excitement, set amidst calming bass and glistening synths; the sound resembles a more hypnotic LCD Soundsystem, and proves especially impactful as the vocals descend into a more debonair output. They show a dynamic prowess throughout, from the more gleeful initial forays in “All The Mothers” to the venomous vigor within “Cut N° 5,” where enveloping guitar distortion complements a dazed vocal immersion with enthralling effect.
WORLD MAKING also impresses in its tonal cohesiveness, all amidst an eclectic array. The aforementioned intensity of “Cut N° 5,” for example, unleashes an ardent passion that would perhaps feel unsettling if led into another rock-edged track — though “When The Tree Dies” masterfully comes next, with a gently caressing thumping and dreamy vocal guidance. The album manages to enjoyably sound like various dream states, jumping from invigorating high-flying to more beautifully vague glimpses of calm — a dynamic tonal display further evident on “Riding Along” and its satiating culmination into a peppy bass-friendly captivation.
“Leaving Shadows” is another standout, even in its briefness. A delectably moody vocal lethargy combines with wordless backing haunts and booming synth/guitar interplay for a grippingly atmospheric sound, fit for autumnal contemplation. “1986” is another bite-sized success, developing from chilled-out psych-pop into textured passion. The strong atmospheric run continues with “One Means Nothing to Me,” dazzling in its bright moments of jangling guitars and illuminated synths, in addition to the nighttime-set bass-y ruminations amidst reminisces of rainfall. WORLD MAKING is a powerfully atmospheric success of an album from Made-Up.
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