Immerse Yourself in 212°'s "Transmissions"

Upon pressing play, one would most likely be confused as to what they’re getting themselves into. Personally, “wait, there’s no words?” was the initial reaction. But, little did we know that “Transmissions” has so much more to offer, other than the usual song and album structure of having lyrics sung.

Underneath the countless layers of each track lies a concept that 212° has unraveled on their Bandcamp page, and suddenly, the track titles and the lack of words made so much more sense, leading to a deep intrigue and appreciation. To put it simply, “Transmissions” tells a story of a journey beyond our planet, and it’s everything a sci-fi fan has ever dreamed of.

“To The Corrocumulus” starts it off, followed by “Atmospheric Storm”. Two tracks in, the first thought that pops into mind is it’s all made as though it is an entire soundtrack for a film. But, it also has the potential of being played by a live orchestra due to its layers of synth, guitar, the occasional drums, and more.

Impressively, the titles suit the ambience of its contents nicely. For instance, “Signals Near Jupiter” has that constant beeping-like sound within it, accompanied by subtle marimba and distortion in the near end. “Solar Waves” comprises a human-esque breathing element, with hints of guitar in the background.

The pair “Suspended Animation” and “Adrift” are made to be next to each other on the tracklist, as the former, at first, has a levitating, travelling feel; on the other end of my train of thought, this would also be a good track to play a farming game to. Anyway, the latter includes what sounds to be strings, which feels like stagnancy, or that moment while on board an airplane when you’re finally allowed to take your seatbelt off because the aircraft is stable on air now. It also brings a sense of solace, isolation, and hope.

At this point in 212°’s storytelling, the sensation of calmness is over with “Alarm In The Void”, “Strange Awakening”, and “Ghost Ship Arrival”. From the titles themselves, there’s already a presupposition of conflict, or the climax of the story itself. The beat and melodies give off the implication that a challenger, antagonist, or problem is fast approaching. The latter includes an 8 bit-like sound that matches the usual norm and tone of trouble.

“Dark Winds” has a similar theme, and correlating it to the first couple tracks of the record, the ambience is completely different (kudos to 212° for that). It also highlights a drum solo, which is an opportunity to showcase drums in an album with no lyrics that they obviously took. “System Failure” is the audio equivalent of a worst case scenario, as it sounds like it calls for more trouble. The distortion in it is a great touch, however.

Excluding bonus tracks “Forming 212 Perceptions” and “Jynweythek Ylow”, the album ends with “Debris Trails”, a very fitting end to the concept. It quite literally sounds like the end, with the type of ending being unknown. Did it end badly? Did it end well? According to the artist’s Bandcamp page, “But no plans survive first contact”, giving listeners the impression that the end remains open for interpretation.

Concept albums are always enjoyable to delve into. With the plot provided by 212° and the freedom of interpretation, there’s this spectrum of what to think of every single track. The flow is well connected, and with “Transmissions” being a completely ambience-based record, it’s a great source of sound even outside the story analysis. You could keep this playing during study, sleep, or even a walk. It’s well-thought and flexible.