June 23, 2023 - Got the Bug Records
Marcus Sullivan aka Major Axis is here with his latest foray into the digital waves of drum and bass. The British-born, Hamburg-based producer has been picking up momentum this year following a juicy jungle debut in Virtual Fantasy. Now with Hologram Memory, Sullivan primes the senses with an evocation of digitally rendered spheres floating above neon-sunset-soaked waves. Let’s dig in.
‘Prehistoric’: You press the power button and lean back on your feet, letting the start-up sequence crash over your mind like a warm ocean swell. The screen flickers to life, revealing a mosaic of possibilities amongst the glowing light. Sweeping pads fill the space with sonic frequencies that seed the air with further potential; buds of latent ambiance waiting for their turn to emerge. Melodies slowly unravel and intertwine with the atmosphere. A sense of tranquility spreads across the auditory canvas.
‘Deeply Shallow’: Reflective, monolithic shapes emerge from the crystalline water. Circuits harmonize with the organic, unfolding into a conglomeration of technology fed on its living counterpart. The surfaces of the shapes glisten, reflecting the sunlight and secrets of the depth beneath. Sullivan plays god in this environment, building staircases of tension and release. An abrupt fade-out cuts through the facade, threatening to pull us out of our digital dream. Yet, within the growing silence, echoes linger—a transient pause that invites us to contemplate the boundaries between reality and the beyond.
‘Midnight Journey’: Forest field recordings bleed in from the edges of our ears, filling our minds with a grounding warmth. The rustle of leaves and symphony of wildlife embrace our senses with the ancient whispers of nature’s serenity. Percussive elements remain delicately balanced against the ambiance, providing structure. Each break carves into the ethereal soundscape, guiding us through the atmosphere. Another fade-out; the ending’s perpetual existence works against the digital terrarium-building that has been happening, the lines between closure and endlessness blurring together.
‘Ocean Waves’: As the forest recedes, the rustling leaves merge seamlessly with the distant roar of crashing waves. Playful piano lines dance amongst a perky bass riff. In a rush of movement, Sullivan sends us up the coast, soaring past the skyscrapers of a neon-lit city. The sun sets against the towering buildings, bringing the music along with it. Wait a minute, it’s all fade-outs, isn’t it?
‘Lunar Corp’: The moon rises, bringing with it a chill in the air. The city streets light up to create glowing arteries of pulsing steel and life. The piano and bass dance continues into the night. As expected, another lengthy fade to black into the final track.
‘The Dream’: Sullivan rounds out the experience with a hard-hitting introspection. Caffeinated breaks splash against the walls of the screen, dousing everything in a bright, sharp liquid. Amidst the pulsating rhythms and immersive melodies, a voice resonates “the dream,” weaving a thread of enigmatic intrigue into the sonic tapestry. The screen and music both fade to black, a final tease of a never-ending path. Did every capsule world fade to nothingness? I boot up the project again. The first trek is whole and complete: a delayed but decisive ending. Every other orb is an illusion. What seems round and contained actually stretches out into the infinite, beams of light continuing into the unknown.
Yet my distaste for the fade-out does not sour the experience. Sullivan has crafted a wonderfully bright and optimistic project full of some of the freshest ambient drum and bass I’ve heard in a long time. It’s an inspiration. I look forward to the next installation, fade-outs and all.🍍