When Worlds Collide

Thomas Barrandon’s understated scifi masterpiece

A Cosmic Convergence

The EP offers a mesmerising journey through electronic soundscapes, evoking a sense of otherworldly exploration. Barrandon masterfully combines retro synthwave elements with modern cinematic vibes.

For a formal description of the audio feature categories presented here, please consult the Spotify Developer API Documentation.

Overall, a laid-back and peaceful affair, with distribution in the lower valence and speechiness values. Acousticness and instrumentalness are mostly confined to lower values, with the distinct exception of the final track, “A New Start”. A broad middle-range distribution in energy and danceability is common across all tracks.

Interpreting the Ridge Plot (Click to expand)

These ridge plots show a histogram of the mean audio feature values across each track in the album. Look across the horizontal axis at where the peaks for each feature occur. For example, if the album contains lots of tracks with busy vocals, the speechiness feature will show a peak to the right of the horizontal axis. Conversely, an instrumental album would have a speechiness peak to the left of the horizontal axis but you would also expect it to have a peak to the right of the axis in the instrumentalness feature.

The Tracks

Below are the mean audio feature values for each track. The last row (green) presents a mean summary of the album.

track_name	danceability	energy	speechiness	acousticness	instrumentalness	valence
Extinction	0.511	0.3610	0.03490	0.199000	0.9360	0.0741
Doomsday Clock	0.477	0.5160	0.02780	0.001440	0.3090	0.1080
Pale Blue Dot	0.172	0.3050	0.03360	0.020400	0.8900	0.0347
Fragment	0.559	0.5500	0.04330	0.069800	0.1870	0.0734
New Start	0.236	0.0355	0.03110	0.836000	0.5810	0.0388
Album Mean	0.391	0.3535	0.03414	0.225328	0.5806	0.0658

…

Extinction

The opening track sets the tone with its haunting melodies and pulsating beats. It’s reminiscent of the Stranger Things theme, yet maintains its unique identity, aiming for a more subtle tension to emerge.

Doomsday Clock

From the outset a percussive metronome gradually builds tension. A brooding composition, the synths create an eerie atmosphere, leaving you on the edge of anticipation.

Pale Blue Dot

Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. (Carl Sagan)

A beautiful piece that balances melancholy and hope. The delicate piano interludes blend seamlessly with the electronic textures.

Fragment

The standout track, this shorter number feels like a glitch in the matrix. Its beats and fragmented sounds add an intriguing layer.

New Start

Short but impactful, this track offers a sense of resolution. The uplifting melodies and arpeggios leave you with a feeling of renewal. Peaceful piano is used to great effect, a distinct step change to the synth of the rest of the EP.

Overall

When Worlds Collide is a journey that transcends time and space. Each track contributes to the EP’s cohesive narrative, making it a must-listen for fans of synthwave and ambient music.

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