Ophelia Dore is a Chicago native and an undergraduate student at Belmont University studying music business. A 19 year old Harpist since the age of 10 she releases all her music independently. Her latest album, containing 14 tracks is entitled “Synchrony”, and is what would typically be called classical crossover music, probably for lack of a better description. Ophelia also includes electronic soundscapes into her compositions. This is probably one of those albums where if you like the style of music you will love it and if you don’t, well, you won’t.
Personally, I believe that if you adore movie soundtrack music, then “Synchrony” will definitely enthrall your earbuds. If there was one word to describe this album it would be powerful, whether that be the fuzzy electronic sounds scattered through some tracks or the anxiety-inducing timing of an epic movie in the symphonic-type arrangements. Either way, you will also notice a distinct air of melancholy running through the album, as Ophelia Dore has the gift of making wistful sadness sound beautiful.
There’s always a debate raging about whether it means anything to listen to film-type music without any visual context. I’m a firm believer that music released on an album is meant to be enjoyed on its own without imagery, only your own thoughts, feelings and imagination. A score that can only be enjoyed within a movie can be fantastic there, but fails to be a great score in my outside of that context. And it is on that point that Ophelia Dore and her album, “Synchrony” scores full points.
Her musical scores here emote just like a movie soundtrack would, but without the need of visuals. There are builds; there are lulls, climaxes and nadirs. It’s as if you are ‘listening’ to an epic movie, and Ophelia even includes the spoken word into tracks such as “Bright Spot”, “Juliet’s Wish” and “September 7 June 12”, which adds an ulterior dimension to the already building pathos. Depending on your tastes, you may succumb to the ethereal sounds of “Cello Concerto 23” or “Souring Soul”.
If you prefer a more epic symphonic sound, your ears will definitely fall on “Les memoires du traumatisme”. Or maybe you wish to be mesmerized by the saddening strings of “Rower’s Dawn”. However, on the other hand if you craze the energetic buzz of electronics, be dazzled by “You Don’t Own Me”, “Secrets and Sounds”, and the Dubstep influenced “Castle On Fire”.
Ophelia Dore is an eclectic, classical crossover artist whose music pulses with intensity as well as very sad moments. There is really no downtime for your emotions on this entire album, as the music carries you every step of the way, from one track to another. It absorbs you and in places assaults you while always leaving you wanting more.
Ophelia scores and performs music that reflects her own personal emotions, meaning these track aren’t simple compositions made to sound attractive – they actually mean something to her. Ophelia Dore carefully crafts emotional ‘states-of-being’ in the form of musical tracks, each perfectly set within an atmosphere for the intended emotion to exist in. “Synchrony” will be hard to beat in terms of musical scope and emotional complexity. Could this be the soundtrack to her life?
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