1998 by Al Buchanan: Review

by Damien Reid January 11, 2023

January 11, 2023

1998 by Al Buchanan: Review

Al Buchanan’s dreamy single “1998” is a delightful indie tune that seems to pay homage to a much simpler time. Each layer of the track has a calming rhythmic approach, with light harmonies and minimal instrumental bits. You might as well hear the song on repeat because of its charming effect!

The time signatures and flow of the song are mesmerizing. It seems to move from one tempo to another effortlessly and has a nice ring to it. The guitars are clean yet bring along a delicate reverb tune that aligns perfectly with the deep bass notes present. As for the singer, their whimsical voice has a nice connection with bands like The Cure and early U2. So, those influences just blend beautifully with the rhythm pattern of “1998.” Al Buchanan’s track has fantastic transitions, especially during the end where a more distorted guitar is present for the crescendo. The percussion sequences amplify further and cause a whole wave of melodic chaos to instill. This brought along a refreshing tune to hear that energizes you till the end.

As mentioned before the tempo and scale changes of the song were delightful. It was interesting to hear and added a fair bit of creativity to the track, and also a dash of eccentricity. Ambient rock is prevalent throughout “1998”, and Buchanan’s composition resonated deeply within me. The nostalgia is indeed strong, especially in more minimal parts of the song where the guitar chords have this moving echo segment!