How does love impact your life? Lao Tzu said that: “Being loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” David Wahler’s new album “Two Hearts” seems to contain just as much life wisdom as this 2 500-year-old quote. It describes love in all its phases, brilliantly balancing the high and low points. Love is about giving, but is also about receiving. “Two Hearts” is yet another winner from Mr. Wahler and a must-have in any romantic music playlist.
David Wahler began his musical career at the age of 7 playing the piano “by ear”. Early years of summer music clinics and academies at various universities culminated in his studying piano performance at Lawrence University Conservatory of Music; Mannes College of Music in New York; and Berklee College of Music, Boston. David released his first album, “Antiquus,” in the spring of 2009. Then followed “A Star Danced” (2010), “Secret Dream” (2012) and “Spiritus” (2015). His album “Mosaic” was honored with Zone Music Award’s Best Relaxation/Meditation album of 2018 at the award concert in New Orleans in May of 2019. David’s music “Kyoto Mist” was featured in the summer 2019 Warner Bros. movie, “POKÉMON: Detective Pikachu“. There’s no doubt that David Wahler is one of the most loved stars on the New Age music scene today!
Listen to the song “Always” from “Two Hearts” in this episode of Dream Mixtape:
Always
The album opener is called “Always”. It is a warm, relaxing and positive piece – it is as if we are boarding a pink cloud, flying towards a place where love lasts forever and goodbyes don’t exist. “Always” is beautiful beyond words. It has Wahler’s usual melodic focus and exquisite layers of synths.
After that opening, you might think that “Two Hearts” is a sugar-sweet album, but that is far from the truth. It is a very mature release, reflecting on love, loss, and times gone by. Next song is called “I Remember You”. It is truly remarkable how Whaler manages to describe two conflicting emotions at the same time; warm feelings and grief, happiness and sadness. It is impossible not to be touched by this. The flute sounds wonderful!
Paris Rain
“Melancholy” is a word that springs to mind many times while listening to “Two Hearts”. The next piece takes us to the city of love – Paris – and it is raining. There are some interesting sound effects in the intro. I also like how the synth lead emulates the sound of raindrops. It is a gentle and romantic song, perfect for dreaming and relaxing.
“Night Sky of Orion” is one of my favorite songs from “Antiquus” – and the new version sounds fresh and chilled. So much has happened in terms of synths, DAWs, and VSTs over the last 10 years, which perhaps is why the remix sounds better.
One of the finest songs on “Two Hearts” is “You and Me”. It starts off as a romantic guitar ballad, but as more and more instruments are added – namely some lovely 1980s analogue sounding synths – we are rewarded with a passionate atmosphere. With this in the background, any dinner will be romantic.
Love Lost
The vibe changes with “Love Lost”. This is, as the title implies, a sorrowful song. It has a slow melody, telling us of both good and bad memories. You can tell that this is a feeling that is here to stay, it is something you have to live with. This love is lost forever. Somewhere in the background is the same sound effect as in “Paris Rain,” adding contrasts and emotional depth.
The title song is a small masterpiece! A whole story is told in less than 6 minutes, it is as if we are reading a well-written novel. I very much enjoy the opening; The song seems to need no build-up, like a musical in medias res. We can sense that the “two hearts” are deeply in love – but it is not a love without its share of problems (hence the touch of melancholy), but each of the hearts is there for each other, through the hardships. It is a lasting kind of love. Wahler is truly a master storyteller! The selection of synths used is fabulous. But don’t take my word for it; check it out for yourself:
Bloom
“Bloom” is entirely different. It is a gentle and thoughtful piece. We reflect on life, and how everything grows and blooms. Notice how the song gets more intense near the end. It is very bright and colorful. Talking about colors; on “One Fine Day” we leave all our worries behind. The world feels new, the sky is blue, and there’s not a cloud in the sky. It is a wonderful and positive piece!
Two of the most interesting songs are saved for last; “Confession” and “Then She Went to Sleep.” I believe “Confession” has the perspective of the person who is being confessed to. The atmosphere is foreboding, and we get a sense that something big is about to happen. The sound design is very well-made and intricate. “Then She Went to Sleep” makes sure that the album ends on a high note. The person is safe now, flying off to dreamland and leaving all her troubles behind. Perhaps the confession left her feeling emotionally drained, and sleep was her only way to escape?
In conclusion: “Two Hearts” is David Wahler’s most personal album to date. As he himself puts it: ”I wear my ‘heart on my sleeve’ with this album”. It is a very wise and mature release, making the listener reflect on love and its ability to change lives. It is true what they say; Love is heaven, and love is hell.
“Two Hearts” is a fantastic addition to Wahler’s already impressive discography. When you first fall in love with it, you don’t want to let go!
Score: 95/100 – See our scoring policy
For more music samples and information, visit davidwahler.com