Bargain bins give way to buffering times in this reissue of a beautiful online shopping experience

Pristine melodies and pads sweep in cushioning the listener as we are welcomed into the virtual shopping experience. A far cry from the reverberating sound of 슈퍼마켓Yes! We’re Open, 식료품groceries masterfully sets out a complete contrast in atmosphere. This is more direct; a shop experienced in a crisp virtual resolution through the comfort of one’s own space.

An incredible collection of genres soundtrack our browsing. From upbeat Bossa Nova to smooth lounge keys, vibrant music chimes in as the endless array of colourful products fizzle to life on the screen in front of us. The artist instills that sense of cyber-innovation that is so evident when looking back at the 80s and the boom of early internet shopping. On Ｑｕｉｃｋ－ＳｔａｒｔＧｕｉｄｅ analog synths play triumphant chords over light, algorithmic keys, conjuring visions of humming desktop computers and grainy, pixellated webpages.

The experience is not without its hiccups. Throughout the album the music skips, judders and droops from its original pitch. A reminder that it is based in a time where technology allowed for new experiences, but wasn’t without shortcomings and errors. However, 식료품groceries welcoming and often upbeat melodies maintain a sense of calmness and amiability.

Every stage of the online shopping process is fodder for artistic exploration. On P a y m e n t G a t e w a y, an azure digital superhighway unfurls in front of us. A slick and dreamy cyber-location where you exchange money for products in a way never before experienced. The synths pulse out into the distance like the invisible beams of the internet buzzing through our dial-up modem, carrying our newly digitised cash away. C o n t i n u e S h o p p i n g is a teary-eyed farewell with heartfelt melodies and echoing cymbals. Are you sure you want to leave? But you’ve had such a wonderful time shopping today…

Not only is the album a journey into a plentiful online catalogue, it also serves as an example of music’s unique power to instil wonderment into concepts. Melodies and compositions such as those 식료품groceries pays tribute to are what captivated audiences and consumers in the 80s and 90s. When technological advancements allowed for online communication and shopping to become a reality, awe-inspiring and uplifting music like this is what the creators reached for when trying to promote and describe their new experiences.

geometriclullaby.bandcamp.com/album/ascension