A fantastic album for a fantastic year.
Now that the year has flashed by, it’s time to do a review of the album of the year.
This was a selection that took a lot of consideration. 2024 was a fantastic year full of releases from the biggest artists in the game.
Every year it gets better. We truly are in a golden age of electronic music.
Today's album is proof of that.
Before we begin, can we please appreciate the absolute masterwork of the album cover?
Peak…
No Mana goes above and beyond turning everything he does into pixel art.
His commitment to that craft is nothing short of amazing. The world he’s built is among the best there is.
WARNING.
The forthcoming review may include sentences and rambles that make no sense, are unhinged, and may discomfort people who just want a simple music review.
For any grievances, concerns or matters necessitaing managerial attention, we respectfully request that you communicate by sending a swift FUCK YOU as a direct email to [email protected].
We value and consider all feedback
Reader discretion is advised.
And please, njoy irresponsibly
Solarpunk
MAN. WHAT A WAY TO START THE ALBUM
The signature 8-bit sound, the patented clean kicks, and a gorgeous melody mixed with classic electro-house sounds.
This is a song that introduces No Mana and his sound evolution.
It wastes little time with an intro. Ther’s no better intro than to get hit by an absolute wave of nostalgia and energy.
The melody and composition make you feel like you just walked into a fresh world where endless possibilities await.
This is a great example of an intro song that can only prepare you for what’s to come as it WILL get better.
Falling in love
Seeing vowl. featured took a good minute to process. Not because vowl. is a bad artist but because homie produces wave, the farthest thing from house.
The song itself is nothing but PEAK.
The clean vocals, the majestic background, the slow introduction of sounds. Everything gets assembled and built up for a satisfying drop that is just as addicting as any other song in this album.
The synths are so good; the melody is addictive, and come on, house this well produced has GOT to be enjoyed.
And hey, if you’re a trap fan, the last part of the song is for you…
Digital Friends
Any long time reader knows that songs with vocals are not my favorite.
EXCEPT…
This song hits HARD. Both emotionally and musically. The lyrics are fun and, unfortunately, too relatable to ignore. The rhythm is ON POINT and it's a great song to put on blast.
It doesn’t have the “hoe-scaring” aspect because of SOFI’s amazing voice and the fantastic tempo it has.
The drop is euphoric, the little drums in the back make for a satisfying listening experience if you like to overanalyze songs because you have too much time in your hands.
Overall it’s a fun song for a fun crowd. Peak energy.
Roadburn
Okay, when I first heard this song I was like "what the actual heck is this"
But after listening to it a couple of times, It’s grown a little bit.
This gives me illegal racetrack vibe. It’s on the slower tempo level, and to me, it misses a bit of energy with the repetitive lyrics.
The bass still hits hard, the drums are clean the midsection is great. Nice song overall. Nothing much else to say lol.
City2City
Was ZHU part of this? I swear I hear his voice.
In any case t his is a fantastic song, It really reminded me of EDM death machine, a Knife Party song that released 10 years ago... lol.
Regardless, Deep House No Mana was not on my list of 2024. I’m honestly surprised. This man can produce any type of house without missing.
This is more of a beach song than anything else but MAN does it hit hard and good.
Hopeless
I honestly did not expect to find Feed Me in this album.
But the two remaining titans of electro house had to come together to make something great.
I will admit it took some time to like, both Feed Me and No Mana THRIVE in fast songs. They have a fantastic production for faster paced songs.
There's definitely a disconnect when it comes to slower things. The good news is that the superb sound design makes up for it tenfold.
The second drop (where it speeds up) is exactly what I love about both these titans.
It’s a fun song. It hits the right buttons and, played in the right circumstances, can get a great reaction or two.
I hope to see more of this duo in the future.
Luxor Aeterna
Hyperoxia swears by this song but to me it's just... okay?
I don't know. I don’t dig the dark vibe this song has. No, Mana is an expert in diversification, but this one missed me.
The first part is really good. It’s the last minute of “cave exploring” that made me go, “Yeah. This is peak sewer rave vibes”
I am a No Mana Maximalist, and while this song is meh, I do think it’s a good breathing point because from here on out, it’s peak after peak after peak.
Garage13
Another one that grew on me as it got played. the melody got addicting.
It's one of those classic No Mana songs where he has a simple kick drum combo with background sounds that expand and retract as the song continues.
And come on those drums are just fun. The amount of design work that went into them is enough to give it a gold star.
The melody and the midsection is where this song truly shines. It’s a perfect showcase No Mana's magic.
It's euphoric, clean, and connects perfectly to the drop, which sounds better after such a masterful buildup.
While at first listen, it’s a simple song, there’s a good amount of depth to keep it interesting.
If you don’t like it the first time, continue on and play it AFTER the album is done with. Somehow it hits different.
Everlasting
What an intro.
Following it with a groovy club track is a pleasant surprise.
I think that’s something else that is magical, you never know what to expect. At any moment the simple song can turn into a fully fledged orchestra of sounds.
I think this song is a slight nod to the past era of progressive house. The whole album so far has explored so many different genres that it feels like an exploration of his sound thus far.
THe lyrics are okay, I have not much to say about them. No Mana picks good singers, they rarely sound like they don't want to be there. To me the sound is more important the voice so yeah, lol.
Good song but it’s time for the adults to sit down.
Justify
This is the good old No Mana I fell in love with. He justifies this song with an amazing melody and electro-house sound that has always been my beloved.
The lyrics are nothing to write home about, the classic "my ex lives rent free in my head" trope. The magic lies in the gorgeous melody that decorates the song and keeps it fresh.
The deep bass, the highs and lows, and the production quality altogether are enough to melt anyone’s brain with how clean the sound is.
I heavily enjoyed this.
Ecstatic and Irresponsible
Off the bat, it starts with a gorgeous melody that stays through the whole song.
Where the song truly shines is the sounds. A Mix of old classic electro house with a new coat of paint.
This was first teased in his 2021 A/V mix. Different from the original but still amazing.
Something he does very well has a section where he expands and builds on the melody, adding a whole new section and excitement for what's to come.
He's a matter of buildups and can play with excitement very well. Every second drop after his buildups is AMAZING and leaves me wishing for more.
Were the lyrics necessary? Ehhhhh… not really. But I guess they add SOME form of excitement, lol.
This is a great song for road trips, or for escaping the cops after a heist.
Lost Call.
There is a reason why this is a Song of the Year and the Strangers of 2024.
I first heard this song back in 2021 in an electrocast mix.
Right away I fell in love with the melody and the gorgeous synths.
Through the years it was my addiction, having to peddle it off mix loops to get my fix.
It's full of emotion, hard-hitting melodies, and vocals so clean you can use them to wash windows.
I know I harp on a lot about melodies but this is the most addicting melody of 2024. I don't know why or how to explain it but it has this feeling of nostalgia and regret. It's a sound of melancholy. Of that hope you have that something isn't real but ti turns out to be.
THis is one of the few songs that I actually enjoy the lyrics from. Ash nova did an amazing job at the vocals and the lyrics have a meaning i can relate to very well.
Start to finish it's a gorgeous song. This is Audible Gold in it's purest essence and I'm proud to glaze it as song of the year.
Hit the Ground.
Fun fact: this song was originally a remix from Calvin Harris Flashback.
I guess it was too much of a hassle to get that released so he just...
Made its own song!
This one has a masterful buildup. In fact the majority of the song is a buildup.
That doesn’t take away from it. Every sound in it is amazing.
It sounds like climbing an endless amount of stairs, chasing after something that is long gone until the stairs eventually end and you are met with a chasm which you fall endlessly on.
And after 5 minutes of gorgeous build up, it arrives.
The drop you've been waiting for. And it’s GLORIOUS.
After such an addicting buildup the drop is nothing but satisfying.
Even more, it’s ADDICTIVE. You want to run it back to expeirnce the whole thing all over again. This was my close second to song of the year thanks to it’s clean sounds and masterful composition.
Another piece of Audible Gold for your ears.
Underwater
What a way to close out the album of the year.
While the start is admittedly a bit rough, it picks up very well after the first drop.
I think the tried to do another “buildup to satisfying drop” song but come on, after Hit The Ground it is IMPOSSIBLE to match.
It doesn’t matter, though. The master of melodies does it again with an amazing song that feels like swimming underwater.
He always makes the sounds match the name of the song in ways few artists can do. This SOUNDS like being underwater. Hit the Ground FEELS like falling endlessly. Lost Call IS what missing someone sounds like.
That is what I believe the biggest power of No Mana is. The ability to create soundscapes that transport you into a new world.
So yes, when you reach that mystical final drop, where all the goodwill of 15 majestic songs come to a satisfying close with a euphoric drop that calms all thirst…
and makes you jump back to Lost Call and Hit the ground, lol.
It’s a fantastic way to close the album and a song that will bring goosebumps depending on how loud you’re hearing it.
So there you have it.
I contain Incoherent Rambling Flashing Images.
Ever since Secret Level released back in 2020, No Mana is in my top 5 artists.
I don’t see that changing anytime soon and I hope you’ve been converted as well.
As always, make sure to support this masterwork with your streams and if possible - mugney.
And if you want more music, you can find more inside the email list.
Reply