Album Review #3: 2814 - 新​し​い​日​の​誕​生

Nostalgia is a word that is thrown around a lot. I’ve seen it used everywhere nowadays. A lot of media consumption relies on nostalgia sometimes in order for people to be interested. You see a lot of products nowadays go “LOOK!!!! REMEMBER THIS?!” in an attempt to lure customers in. However, this doesn’t always work, at least for me. I get very disappointed in companies trying to capitalize on this feeling, as it’s a very personal feel that cannot be replicated or captured. However, there is one exception, the one thing i’ve noticed that has successfully captured the feeling of nostalgia very well is music.

Music has the ability to transport you to another world, and is incredibly powerful. Nostalgia and music go hand in hand. You can feel nostalgia from music, and feel nostalgic about music that makes you feel nostalgia, and so forth.

2814’s Birth of a New Day is a perfect example of that.

Released in 2015, the duo, 2814, which is composed of vaporwave producers Hong Kong Express and Telepath, created the album Birth of a New Day (alternatively, 新しい日の誕 as it is officially named). This album is different from others within the vaporwave genre, in which it was created with the use of zero samples, yet still captures the themes of vaporwave, while also redefining what could be considered vaporwave, and falling under a new genre, known as “dreampunk”. It is known that 2814 stated that they wanted Birth of a New Day to have a “strong sense of place” in its theme, and I would say that they succeeded that for sure.

Listening to this album easily and instantly transports you into a bright neon-lit dystopia in the dead of night. Wandering the city scapes from something like Bladerunner. Each track succeeds in creating this feeling of loneliness, while also being overwhelmed with what’s around you. The variety of instruments, ambient synth pads, and atmospheric noises from neon-lit rainy city-scapes is what really seals the deal. Track six, “True Love” is probably one of my favorites in this regard. There are eight tracks that can give you this experience, and each blend very nicely within each other over the span of an hour. (and there is an extra one if you get the c***ette and/or vinyl)

In my opinion, Birth of a New Day redefined what can be considered, “vaporwave” and established the genre of dreampunk, and possibly gave rise to many others. This is an album that I listen to consistently, and I never get tired of listening to. It’s one of those albums that gives me nostalgia about music that makes you feel nostalgia. Birth of a New Day remains as one of my favorite albums of all time. I highly encourage anyone to listen to it.

You can listen to the album here.