The astounding, yet slightly unsteady world of early digital technology is presented beautifully through imaginative synthwork on this release

A concept is a great way to begin a creative journey, as specific as a storyline with narrative touchpoints laid out or as vague as a premise or an aesthetic. A concept can underpin an album or EP as it is slowly fleshed out into its final form, allowing an artist to cross reference and placing a finish line on the horizon. But, when a sound outgrows its original concept, a true artist knows when to cast that concept off, as is the case with Korizon’s Data Fire.

Its original origin story can still be heard in places, the initial idea the artist had corrupting the finished project. Fourth track Corrupted Files stutters and spurts at its beginning, shouted vocals lost in the electronic echoes on System Loss, and synths and samples across the whole of the album dip unexpectedly, as if sedated in some way. Titles like Disk Burn and Logic Error give a sense of urgency and even tragedy, too. These aspects are the remnants of a story in which a corrupted floppy disk causes an unexpecting individual to be sucked into the eerie realms of a broken computer. This idea does not now accurately describe Data Fire, as the artist states that it developed into a “normal album”. 

This is not entirely true however. It is normal in its classic structure and lack of concept, but its sound and overall mood is distinctive and charming, with an abnormally endearing quality. Much of this comes from the deft balancing act Data Fire performs, one side in the calming and often innately likeable pulses of pleasurable synth and the use of sample sequencing in much the same way a lot of classic vaporwave does. 

Though, Korizon’s natural sense of melodic development must be mentioned, from the quaint, non-exhibitionist tone of Playback Start with lulling high-pitched trills matched with bubbly synth sequences. Or the short-lived Arc where an incredible neon, glissando synth tune leaps off the back of funky electronic instrumentation. Throughout, Korizon flexes an intermediate knowledge of how to grow sonic narratives in the sometimes-restrictive electronic style. 

Though the artist has ultimately disregarded their haunting computer concept, this initial idea affords Data Fire a unique edge. This, alongside Korizon’s self-acclaimed sound ‘meltwave’ evidenced in those moments where synths thaw and droop, result in an album that can be fun and challenging in equal measure, inviting listeners to bob along with well-made instrumentation or think more deeply about the invented genre and where the remnants of the original concept can be unearthed.