Chicago’s Acidic Base recently dropped his debut album, entitled Purple Skies.
Acidic Base is the musical project/brainchild of 12-year-old Siddarth Goswami, who became interested in music at age 6. His parents signed him up for music lessons. After a couple of years of lessons, he enrolled in classical piano classes at the Music Institute of Chicago.
Because of his innate talent, he began composing his own songs, along with learning violin. He also taught himself to play electric guitar, which he learned by ear, and is into drums and percussion. Outside of music, Sid enjoys natural science, at one point being the youngest ever tour guide at Volo Bog State Natural Area, when he was 9-years-old.
Sid describes his sound, saying, “I believe my music tends to be in the progressive house genre of electronic music. My main inspirations in this genre are deadmau5 and Eric Prydz, though I follow several other artists in various genres. Composing music that tells a story, or one that can take the user through a theme, is my passion. I see myself working more on complex and dynamic themes in some of my next few releases.”
Comprising seven tracks, Purple Skies opens with the title track, an electro-house-flavored tune with extended bass drum and sparkling synths atop drone-like colors. “Halcyon” features a measured groove underneath rapidly pulsating synths that segue into improvisational interludes, shimmering with austere hues.
“Chernobyl” is probably my favorite track on the album.
Sid explains the track: “My musical work Chernobyl is a two-part composition as a tribute to Chernobyl disaster. The 8 min + piece tries to tell the story from the start of the event to the aftermath followed by massive radioactive mutations. While composing based on themes, I have tried to adapt it to Electronic EDM styles.”
“Blurred” rides an EDM melody with a potent beat that sporadically stops as the synths assume command. A groaning deep tone gives the tune depth and bottom, supplying a concrete foundation for the lighter colors of the synths. “Omnidirectional Hyperjet,” another long number, provides two layers of sonic energy: one, the rapidly thumping kick drum; two, flowing, stuttering synths.
“Mountain Face” delivers electro-house momentum interspersed with tangents of improvisation, giving the tune an innovative pattern. The last track on the album, “Borealis,” resembles the northern lights of the title, shifting and gleaming with fluctuating colors.
With Purple Skies, Acidic Base demonstrates his knack for resonant structure and evolving electronic soundscapes.
