Why I love this song! || Ola Englund — Stars & Ponies
A perfect blend between synthwave, metal, guitar tone and mesmerising instrumental storytelling.
This track was released as the first single from the album Starzinger, by Ola Englund, musician and Youtuber.
It is a collaboration between Ola Englund and Brandon Sills, a Youtube Member of Ola’s. I am not partial to the history that lead to the collaboration, but from recollection, Ola heard the Synthwave track and suggested they do the song together.
For me, Ola Englund (the musician) is an amalgamation of all of my favourite guitar influences, the best guitar tone, and the best riffs. He basically is the Frankenstein's monster of musicians I would construct from my favourite parts of the paying from Dimebag Darrell, John Petrucci, and James Hetfield.
He writes riffs like a god.
His lead playing is soulful and unpretentious.
He is a masterful musician and a consummate professional.
What a musician.
This is me, going full fanboy.
Ola Englund — Stars & Ponies|| Overall score 17.3/20
Sonic Magic || 4/5
The Synthwave introduction is so incredibly alluring. The synth tone, the 80s-sounding toms, the bass drone… I am really, very partial to Sythwave as a genre, having spent many hours listening to some of my favourite Synthwave artists, specifically Dynatron.
When I heard the 7-string guitar riff drop for the first time, I actually stopped what I was doing. I was staring at my phone in disbelief.
The tone is MASSIVE! The riff is brutally heavy, yet elegant and understated.
I love this production. I love the choice of guitar tone, the lead, the rhythm, the cleans.
Musicianship and technical proficiency || 4/5
This is not the most technical song I have ever heard, which is a great thing.
I have heard some of Ola’s guitar-only tracks in the past, and his playing is super clean and tight. His lead playing is focused on storytelling, and not shredding.
The drums are fairly plain.
All of this is intentional. The quality is incredible, but this is not written to be a technical song.
Overall composition & Surprise || 5/5
The thing about instrumental tracks is that they have no vocals and lyrics to move the story forward, which means they have fewer dynamic elements, focussing one’s attention on the Loudness, Contour of the melody, Tempo, Melody and compositional dynamics…
This song is a wonderful journey through all of these elements, culminating in a big solo and Dimeag-Esque squeal, before hitting back with the opening riff and the Synthwave backdrop.
Melody/Riff || 5/5
The opening melody is hypnotizing. I have actually listened to the original version of Brandon Sills’ track, and I like that song a lot. That is the thing about Synthwave and 80s music in general. It is very melody-focused and some of my favourite melodies and synth sounds emanate from the era and influence.
The guitar riff, when it lands, is a satisfying combination of palm-muted and open chord play, on a Drop-A, tuned guitar, through a Mesa Boogie Badlander amp. That riff is the soundtrack of stank face.
Drums & Percussion || 3/5
The drums were played, and (I assume) written by Delta Empire under the Guidance of Ola Englund. Delta Empire is a seriously talented drummer. I have on one occasion commissioned him to play the drums on one of my amateur tracks, with the instruction to go balls out, which he did. He writes extremely tastefully and his complementarity, in this song in particular, is spot on!
Feel || 5/5
The main riff, as I have said, turns your face into stank face.
The solo, when it kicks in after 02:53, makes you want to clench your fists, and throw your head back as the very essence of your being goes “FUCK YEAH!!”
The solo run, the climax, the return to the original riff, the bass drone outtro…
This song has great feel, like a musician who was living this song when he recorded it!
Emotional epicness || 4/5
I respond extremely well to this type of music, emotionally speaking. That said, this is not a particularly dark song, or a happy song. It is just fucking epic. It has so much fuck you, so much soul, so much grip.
As an instrumental song, this gets really close to some of my favourite songs, of all time.
Recommended tracks from Ola Englund
You will do very well to listen to his entire solo Discography. I have, many times, and it is difficult to pick more favourites because I really like his writing, his playing and his don’t-take-yourself-too-seriously attitude towards writing and recording music.
That said, here are some of my standouts.
