Ashton Nyte
Sinister Swing

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Submitted by Andrew F.

Ashton Nyte is a singer, songwriter, composer, enigmatic performer, studio musician, engineer and producer, graphic artist, actor and record label owner. He is best known as front man for internationally acclaimed rock band "The Awakening", who have released seven albums to date. Ashton, with a few exceptions, composed, performed and produced all the material released as both "Ashton Nyte" and "The Awakening". Sinister Swing is the latest of his three very individual solo albums. His stylistic influences range from rock to electronica, from jazz-induced trip-hop to acoustic minimalism and beyond. He has written and performed in theatre pieces, large stage rock shows and intimate cabaret-type performances. He is South Africa's own musical chameleon with a focus on quality performances and studio production which has already earned him recognition in many parts of the globe and still he continues his prolific onslaught on the art and music loving audience …

Musically
Wow. I haven’t heard an album with such original music in while! In a world where most pop and rock sounds identical, Ashton Nyte provides us with a breath of fresh air from the monotony. It’s amazing to hear the amount of depth this album has to offer. Emotions and talent pour out of this album like many others I’ve heard. Most of the album is a thick layer of keyboards, piano and strings with a basic drum keeping the beat. Sometimes the drums are electronic, sometimes not. As far as I can tell, there is hardly any guitar, save for a few moments. The keyboards make the most impact though. They give a strong techno feel that really compliments the album well. They don’t overpower it though. They allow room for the other instruments to be heard and appreciated as well. Every song has a different sound to it. No two songs ever sound the same. This is hard thing to do when you play only one style, but Nyte does some many different style of songs, that for him I’m sure it’s effortless. The opening track “Revival” starts off pretty calm with a really neat vocal beat box. However as a whole this song is probably the worst song on the album. It’s a really mellow song, and it gives a misrepresentation of the album. Another standout song is “The Cutting Room” which showcases a bit more aggressive music without changing the formula. He manages to capture a slightly depressed, but driven feelings without the aid of heavy electrical guitars or insane drums. Being a huge metal fan, I find it most impressive and respectable. “Fingertips” show good use of background vocals along with his mastery of creating several different melodies and blending them all together. “Real” slows the album down a bit with a beautiful acoustic guitar and is more similar to “Revival” than the other tracks. 

Lyrically/Vocally
Again I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Ashton’s voice is so versatile and so beautifully used in this album that it’s almost inhumane. You can hear his South African accent and it provides another bit of originality to an already astounding CD. “The Cutting Room” shows a bit more aggressive side of him, while “Real” shows the opposite: a tender, loving side of his voice. I really believe he has one of the better voices of anyone in the music industry. Lyrically I have to say that Ashton knows how to write lyrics that matter. “The Cutting Room” deals with a girl who has really messed up in life. He offers hope in the end though for her. “don’t tie yourself to desperation, don’t let them see you beat again”. I believe I’ve read that Ashton is a Christian, but it doesn’t show much on this album. There isn’t one mention of God on the whole CD, from what I could see. This isn’t a problem, or a bad thing. Its just a lot of people probably won’t look at this as a Christian album. It is still a pretty positive album dealing with tough issues. 

"The Cutting Room"
You’re standing at the courtyard killing cigarettes
Another boy, another joke, another dirty dress
Peeling at the future, trying to stay clean
Trying to be something more than sex and nicotine

And you wonder why they’re never looking at you
You wonder why you never leave the cutting room

"Little Everything"
Oh angel you are everything I need
To keep my world
And keep my conscience clean

My little everything