G Jones - Paths to Album of the Year

Did you know that the longest walkable distance is Cape Town in South Africa to the port town of Magadan on the eastern side of Russia? It's 22,387km (or 13910.64 miles) long. I'd make that walk with this album playing.

When G-Jones released this heater of an album, I knew it had to be the one to kickstart our first deep dive ever.

QUICK INTERMISSION - yes. this is our first-ever post. there is no foreplay or backstory. If you'd like to know more about us and our story then sign up for our daily trash list over at dumpsterdelicacies.com - INTERMISSION OVER

This is going to be unlike most of the "album reviews" that you've read because I'd like you to listen along as you read. (as well as something else)

There will be a song embedded above every song so you can listen along. Without further ado, let's begin.

This album also seems to have what I like to call a "double punch to caress ratio". This means it has two hardcore songs followed by one calm song in between to prepare you for the songs that are coming after.

This rule gets broken by the 3 starting songs, but that's a good thing.

It also follows the "start chill, have something that goes in the middle, and then chills out by the end" framework. Best visualized by a Bell Curve

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I don't care if that's not how a bell curve works. It visualizes the album very well. Do YOU have a better way to explain it?

Okay, enough rambling, let's get into the meat and pathtatoes.

Familiar Frontiers

This intro is what someone who's "slowly disassociating" sounds like.

The sparkling sounds that play make it seem like someone is escaping their thoughts. Entering a state of "dreamland". The first minute is dedicated to setting the stage as the person fades deep into subconsciousness.

The second minute represents falling into disassociation. Closed with the sound of joining a world inside the head of The Protagonist.

A beautiful way to open up the album and a good narrative to build around.

You'll see what I mean..

The cream on top is the closing words "I'm afraid you spend too much time alone in your fantasies."

"Be Careful"

But it's too late. At that point, our protagonist is

Too Far Gone

This one caught me off guard because of the tempo changes. The dumbbell hits you off guard. Almost as if it's saying "Hey buddy, welcome to the fast-paced life of your consciousness".

The protagonist is trying to find his path through his thoughts. Organizing it all while entering this dissociative state.

The drums and cowbells, while simple, have a tone of excitement and confusion. Beautifully designed as well.

This song - alongside liminality - plays very well on the repetition and use of the same chords.

As the song continues it's clear that the protagonist is not finding his way through the barrage of thoughts. He is instead sucked into the turbulent parts of the subconscious.

And so the song ends. As the barrage of thoughts calms down, our protagonist ends up at a crossroads. All he's wondering now is..

Which Way

You're welcomed by what I can explain as a 1990s educational videogame conversation. This triggered memories of a time long gone. I had this very annoying math game but I'm sure I heard the same voices

The conversation ends with an unexpected "It doesn't matter, I don't even know where I am." (Anyone else?) which immediately transforms into what I can explain as "taking the wrong path".

Cowbells, random sounds, audio effects. It's as if the path our protagonist took in his subconscious was the wrong way. The way of complete misfortune and chaos.

The buildup makes you think it's going to go up in tempo. And as it drops you quickly realize - like the protagonist - you guessed wrong. It goes to a slower yet catchy rhythm.

I will admit that this song took me a little longer to get into. After the third listen it became a game of analyzing everything the track had to offer. The random sword sound at 1:26 forever lives rent free in my head.

The song has a tone of being lost. Fighting against the weird mental creatures that have spawned (as detailed by the random laser sounds).

And as the buildup to the second drop begins you can hear it. The layers of design behind the drums, the random guy wooing in the background, and an expectation of a rise in tempo...

Just to be welcomed by an 808 bomb and the sounds of our protagonist finding a way out of the wrong path.

Something that G Jones does well in this album is pathing all the songs together. Every song connects in one way or another.

It's as if he's trying to make you see..

Glowing Experiences

The only way I can explain this intro sound is: what happens to the body when drinking Mcdonald's Sprite.

Drink jokes aside, the joy of this song is how it slowly builds up.

The protagonist found and entered a cave (yes, he is still in his mind).

The protagonist walks into the cave and gets welcomed by sounds of amusement and curiosity. He listens to the various cave sounds that come out of the ecosystem.

And then, another buildup. It adds more layers as the protagonist is walking down this cave. He to see a change of colors. The cave starts getting brighter and brighter as he gets close to the heart of the cave.

Once he enters he is greeted by a new world.

The heart of the cave is glowing rhythmically. The protagonist stands there in awe, enjoying the sight. There are glowing mushrooms, glowing vines, and glowing creatures. The whole cave is alive.

I have to say. The melody? ON POINT. I've not heard such a tight and well-designed melody in a long time. There are so many layers of bass, design, and ambiance that there is still something to find after my 36th listen.

This one I greatly enjoyed. The small switches, the back and forths, those all make for a memorable experience. They make the song stand out and just give it that "cave that is alive" vibe to it.

I want to say it's too short. But after making that little narrative.. It makes sense.

After all. Most of the songs from this album can be characterized by..

Perpetual Bloom

This is a song of reflection. For both you and the protagonist.

It cleanses the palate from the journey so far: Dissociation, Being lost in the mind, picking the wrong way on the way out and finding yourself in a glowing cave.

Now you stand in the fields of calmness. Staring at the night sky in your mind. Where all the dreams and goals lie.

This song is what I mean by a 2 punch 1 calm down style.

It adds that layer of enjoyment. It has its slight design and allows you to process the absolute heaters from the last 3 songs.

I will say, that the ending of the song DOES NOT prepare you for the next wave of total HEATERS.

Because now.. It's time for..

Liminality

This is what I imagine is the sound of negative and incomplete thoughts.

Following a flurry of fast-paced "negative thoughts". The protagonist stands outside the factory of negativity.

He enters the factory and sees the machinery. Pumping out negative thoughts faster than new Riddim albums release. (an impressive feat)

Amused by the speed and organization of the factory he begins wandering around. The sound of the machines pierces his ears as he searches for a way to shut the factory down.

After a bit of wandering around he finds it: The central computer.

He begins hitting the big computer in an attempt to stop the production. The machines start to sputter and lose control, yet they continue producing.

No matter where he hits, the machines keep creating negative thoughts. He feels as if it's pointless. But he keeps going

The tempo slows down with the machines. Which are destroyed by his efforts.

This song is as catchy as it gets. The way he plays around with that simple melody is fantastic. He twists it up and down, left and right, back and center. He makes so much use of that simple sound that I think he exhausted all options.

Another quick observation is that this entire album also sounds like a path through the mythical world inside of IllusoryOS.

After walking out of the destroyed factory, our protagonist continues on his way.

Was this the right choice?..

Maybe

The song of indecision. What I imagine indecision before a big decision sounds like.

Fast thoughts, a second to think again, fast thoughts again

As he keeps walking down the paths of his subconscious there is something that he's avoiding.

A big decision that's eating at him. His thoughts racing at a thousand miles per hour. Going through what the decision could be. "Maybe I should do this. Maybe I should do that."

He is slowly losing his mind, reminded by past decisions and thinking about the future repercussions.

It hits the boiling point, the uncertainty has never been this bad.

Ultimately he decides to wake up from his dissociative state. Leaving the deep depths of his mind.

This song is reminiscent of what got me into electronic music. What I would call "nostalgia crack".

I listen to it, and a thousand memories come flooding in as if I've been sucked into a nostalgia void where all that exists are reminders of simpler times.

It's done in such a beautiful, melodic, and uplifting way. It makes you want to forget the world and just be. This is an absolute heater. Probably the heater of the album. Every single part of this song is almost hypnotic.

As our protagonist comes back to his senses, he looks around and realizes where he is..

In (His) My Room

Another cleanser with a tone of self-analysis

The protagonist stands there, back from exploring his mind.

He tries to process everything that happened while dissociating. Ignoring the big decision that he must take.

As he looks around his room and takes in the scenery, he is reminded of his life journey so far. The good, the bad, and all the memories he's created so far.

This song is the sound of analytical solitude. Those times when you sit and reflect on what you've done and where you've been so far. It's easy to take most beautiful things for granted.

It also sets up the rest of the album in a more calm path.

The protagonist knows that the decision must be taken. But he is torn. His mind still races on the thoughts and indecision.

He feels as if he's..

Dancing On The Edge

The sound of a mental breakdown.

It begins with a clear thought, which quickly turns into a flurry of different thoughts. "Calm Down, Calm Down, Calm Down" is not enough.

His mind has gone in all sorts of directions.

The protagonist has fully lost it. He moves and toils around the room thinking back and forth about what the right decision is. How did it get that bad? What is he supposed to do now?

As he hits his limit he decides to sit by his door.

Slowly reaching the decision he knows must taken and will be true to himself.

This song alongside Glowing Experiences and Maybe marks my 3 MUSHEATEERS of the album.

The twists, the melodies, the sounds. It all comes together beautifully. It's a constant stream of synths that makes you want to follow them.

Every song in this album tells a story through the switches, the changes in tempo, the buildups, and the drops.

And as the protagonist decides to exit his room, he decides to face the thing he's so desperately avoided.

Because he knows, that at the end of the path he'll be a..

Remnant

The protagonist is making his way to the place where he needs to be.

The only thoughts are those of hope and certainty. He knows the decision he makes will be the right one.

It doesn't matter what happens now, he is at peace.

As he reaches his destination his mind is calm.

This song is audible decision and hope all around.

This one is a highlight, when it came out as a single I listened to it over and over.

My favorite part is the small piano encore that happens behind the main melody, it adds a layer of nostalgia

Every single buildup this man made on this album is a labor of love. You can say he really likes "pathing" the drop in the best way possible.

The drop itself is full of little details that fill your mind with a sense of wonder.

The ending of the song leaves you knowing that it's time to go. The last song is upon us.

And so the protagonist feels like he has achieved what he must.

He exits the place, fulfilled.

And with peace and sadness in his mind, he starts making the..

Long Walk Home

As the protagonist walks back he remembers the journey so far.

Dissociating inside his mind. Getting lost in his thoughts. Experiencing his inner cave of thought. Destroying the negative factory. And making the pivoting decision he's been avoiding..

He has reached inner peace.

The decision still hurts, but he knows it was the right one to take.

It is now time for change. To become better and rebuild his life in a new way.

He knows that he will make it. And that everything will be okay.

My Man. What a WAY to close the album. At first, I brushed off the song as the most underwhelming album-ending song yet. But as I write this review it shows a unique way to close off my choice for album of the year.

There is a tone of faith and certainty. Almost as if this is not the end but the beginning of something better.

Every song so far is full of small, inexplicable details.

And again, it tells a story within itself.

As the song ends, it leads us to the..

Closing Comments

Without a doubt, this is masterpiece is my Album of The Year.

The album itself blew me away. Every song is carefully designed and an art of love. There is no song I can say doesn't belong. It's one of those collections that without a piece would be incomplete.

It's a shame Daydreams didn't make it in, but I can understand why.

In conclusion: Paths is a masterpiece and I can't wait to see what G Jones cooks up next.

Score: 10 Camino de Santiago / 25 Appalachian Trails.

If you'd like to buy the album you can find the link to it below

ABOUT THIS REVIEW

I originally started this review by breaking down the tracks. And after a read, I saw that it made me sound like a rambling schizophrenic asking for $5 outside the local 7/11. (It was also 3,500 words long)

So I decided to write the narrative my mind made when listening to the album.

So this was both an experiment and my first long-form written review.

If you enjoyed this and want to find more you can sign up for the Daily Trashletter over at dumpsterdelicacies.com. In it you will get a daily song with a brief description and story.

This review marks the beginning of a new project. and I hope you stay for the ride.