Cinematic

Description

Cinematic is the sixth studio album by the American synthpop artist Owl City (singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Adam Young), independently released in June 2018.

Rather than be released all at one time, the music on Cinematic was instead released slowly in 2017 through 2018, via EPs Young called “reels”. However, the lead single, “All My Friends”, was released ahead of time. Following “All My Friends”, Reel 1 debuted on December 1, 2017. Along with the lead single, the EP featured two new tracks, “Fiji Water” and “The 5th of July”. The former discussed Young’s experience getting a record deal, while the latter his birth. On January 12, 2018, “Lucid Dream”, another song from the album, was released as the lead single for Reel 2. On February 2, 2018, Reel 2 was released, one week earlier than expected (February 9, 2018). Along with “Lucid Dream”, it featured “Montana” and “Not All Heroes Wear Capes”. The latter was released earlier on Father’s Day 2017. The last single from the album, “New York City”, was released on March 9, 2018. It was released again on Reel 3 on April 6, 2018. This reel also included two new songs, “Cloud Nine” and “Be Brave”. The new songs were about the happiness Young experienced with his girlfriend and the night he first met her. “New York City” was fondly remembering a trip Young took to New York City in high school.

Electro-pop maestro Owl City has come a long way (considering his globe-trotting habits, a very long way) since his classic «Fireflies» hit in 2009. Since then, he’s become a bona fide pop star, though someone that the hipster critics take delight in kicking around and words like “cheesy” and “anaemic” are continually levelled at his work. Prior to releasing ‘Cinematic’, he put out some of the tracks as singles. Four of them have made it to the Cross Rhythms playlist. Each of these – «New York City», «All My Friends», «Cloud Nine» and «Lucid Dream» – shows that they sound great on the airwaves. «All My Friends» was the first to get a music video and has a bit of Ed Sheeran in its structure and sound. «Lucid Dream» is possibly the most EDM-sounding track on the album, and with some clever lyrics (“I am a light sleeper but I am a heavy dreamer”) shows that Adam Young, despite being a little too prolific for his own good (those monthly pseudo-cinema orchestral albums was surely stretching it a bit), is an exceptional pop talent… despite what the critics say. [Tony Cummings, Cross Rhythms, July 2018]

> iTunes

Album tracklist:

01. Fiji Water – 4:20
02. The 5th of July – 4:11
03. All My Friends – 3:25
04. House Wren – 3:30
05. Not All Heroes Wear Capes – 3:46
06. Montana – 4:06
07. Lucid Dream – 4:21
08. Always – 4:36
09. Cloud Nine – 3:52
10. Winners Never Quit – 3:39
11. Madeline Island – 4:36
12. Be Brave – 5:15
13. New York City – 3:44
14. Firebird – 3:59
15. Cinematic – 4:13
16. All My Friends (Alt Version) – 3:28
17. Montana (Alt Version) – 3:49
18. Firebird (Alt Version) – 4:30

Note: Digitally released and as well released as a 12-inch vinyl double LP by Sky Harbor Records, housed in a gatefold sleeve.

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