At first listen, I thought...this is all nice, but nothing really blows me away.

Second listen, what blows me away is how good this album makes me feel in general. There are no specific moments that kill me like the 7:15 mark in Deconstruction (which is the most chills-inducing, orgasmic, greatest moment in all of musical history), but the general feeling I get from this album is just...happiness.

[Octillus]

the first drop on Grace is the only one that gives me chills, but this album is about joy, and joyous is.

That's exactly how I feel. First listen, on the commentary version, I was like that was good... but didn't blow me away. Second time through, blown out of the water. I think I went into it with a lot of expectations and, in typical Dev fashion, this one threw a lot of curveballs I wasn't expecting. Like Grace (shoot me) I didn't really like at first. Didn't fit in, I thought, with the first half of the album. Now, though, totally get it.

Also, I have a goosebumps moment with every Dev album. Ki it was the climax of Heavens End. Addicted it was Ih-ah. Deconstruction it was where the techno, dubstepy part of TMM kicks in. Ghost it was Blackberry. Epicloud it was when the choirs start coming in really heavy on Liberation.

Ehhh. Honestly? I really only care for Liberation, Save Our Now, and More, and even then... the mix feels really off. The vocals and drums are clear, but the guitar feels really watered down and muddy. There's some cool electronic shit going on in some of the songs, but it's barely audible.

I've been able to use an equalizer to sort of make it better butttttt yeah.

I mean, kingdom just sounds like a dense mess, which kind of sucks because the vocals are SO GOOD. but o well, i'm sure it'll grow on me.

[Octillus]

Ehhh. Honestly? I really only care for Liberation, Save Our Now, and More, and even then... the mix feels really off. The vocals and drums are clear, but the guitar feels really watered down and muddy. There's some cool electronic shit going on in some of the songs, but it's barely audible.

I've been able to use an equalizer to sort of make it better butttttt yeah.

I mean, kingdom just sounds like a dense mess, which kind of sucks because the vocals are SO GOOD. but o well, i'm sure it'll grow on me.

Well, could be the quality. But I feel like this is the off of the rails over the top wall of sound pop that Dev's been going for for years.

Lucky Animals and Divine don't do much for me. I think Hold On and Angel are coming on better for me.

Not my favorite Dev overall, but this slides in nicely with AE and Ziltoid as something fun to throw on whenever wherever.

Seriously, this record is one I've been wanting for a long time; balls-out poppy, rocky stuff. AE and Addicted, as amazing as they are, got close but wasn't exactly "that." For me, this hands-down is.

I adore the ethereal, "cloudy" transitions in the mid-section. The build up to that opening drop of Kingdom is legendary.

How much of Anneke is in this album? Is it more or less or about the same as her presence on Addicted? I love her voice and the energy of her and Devin together.

I'd say less, but she's still there a lot

[Octillus]

How much of Anneke is in this album? Is it more or less or about the same as her presence on Addicted? I love her voice and the energy of her and Devin together.

Quite a bit less, actually. But she's all over it.

LAUGH
LOVE
LIVE
LEARN

the transitions are glorious

Ehhh. Honestly? I really only care for Liberation, Save Our Now, and More, and even then... the mix feels really off. The vocals and drums are clear, but the guitar feels really watered down and muddy. There's some cool electronic shit going on in some of the songs, but it's barely audible.

I've been able to use an equalizer to sort of make it better butttttt yeah.

I mean, kingdom just sounds like a dense mess, which kind of sucks because the vocals are SO GOOD. but o well, i'm sure it'll grow on me.

i suggest buying some good speakers. and if your using ipod headphones(sounds like u are) FOR SHAME!

Ehhh. Honestly? I really only care for Liberation, Save Our Now, and More, and even then... the mix feels really off. The vocals and drums are clear, but the guitar feels really watered down and muddy. There's some cool electronic shit going on in some of the songs, but it's barely audible.

I've been able to use an equalizer to sort of make it better butttttt yeah.

I mean, kingdom just sounds like a dense mess, which kind of sucks because the vocals are SO GOOD. but o well, i'm sure it'll grow on me.

i suggest buying some good speakers. and if your using ipod headphones(sounds like u are) FOR SHAME!

i tried listening on my big fancy speakers and my big fancy headphones

How much of Anneke is in this album? Is it more or less or about the same as her presence on Addicted? I love her voice and the energy of her and Devin together.

She's on it quite a bit, but not a lot in the solo vocals sense. Most of her stuff on the album is multi-layered, ethereal keyboard pad stuff. Her solo moments are absolutely mind-blowing though (Angel especially).

On the subject of the mix, my WAV rip sounds like the orgasms of one thousand gods.