Hello Madness: Light and Life After Dusk

Before his debut as Hello Madness, Alejandro Millán performed as the keyboardist/pianist in Stream of Passion and Elfonía. However, for his release of Light and Life After Dusk, Millán focused his energies primarily on the combination of melodic vocals and brilliant piano pieces. The project is vastly different from anything he has done in the past, and it shows the influences of elements in both progressive rock and jazz.

Stating that he wanted to "make music with a different approach than most rock bands," he made a conscious decision to avoid the use of guitars. For a casual listener, the lack of such an instrument is barely noticeable. It wasn't until hearing the third song on the album that it became glaringly obvious, but what most would consider a missing piece is actually the album's strength.

Each song has its own intimate atmosphere, giving a feeling that the listener is within a motion picture. The scenes are painted through the lyrical poetry with a range of emotion from loss to hope. Though the cerebral film produced by music is created through melancholy lines, there is still a subtle hint that all life must continue and grow.

It is rather difficult to name the tracks that have the most impact. They all help to complete a story, though any one song is capable of standing on its own. "My Stranger" portrays the more contemplative aspect of the album, with a combination of longing and sadness. On the same coin, "Change" provides a more upbeat feeling with an outlook of hope and desire.

With such a touching debut, Alejandro Millán certainly delivers something both unusual and interesting. Utilizing elements of various influential genres, he has created a masterpiece with astounding potential. It is with all hopes that this project continues rather than stopping with just one album.