tom feral’s ‘Mango’ Balances Vulnerability with Dancefloor Euphoria
Denver-based producer and vocalist tom feral has delivered something truly special with his latest eight-track electronic album, Mango. Released just a day after its heavier, more aggressive companion album Rotten, this 37-minute project shines as a beacon of rich melodic production and exhilarating energy. Masterfully blending melodic house and cinematic electronica, the album takes listeners on a deeply personal yet uplifting journey through love, heartbreak, and the ultimate pursuit of happiness.
The emotional core of the record is brilliantly executed. On ‘Waiting Forever (For You)’, featuring the expressive vocals of Denver’s XOXOSTARGIRL, intricate and infectious drum patterns elevate a highly relatable story about waiting for someone to change. Feral also steps up to the mic himself for ‘Wreckage’, a beautifully haunting breakup anthem. As one of the first tracks to feature his own vocals entirely, it captures the complicated aftermath of a relationship with stunning vulnerability and grace.
Perhaps the most ambitious and triumphant moment on the record is the six-minute epic, ‘Invisible Hole’. Tackling heavy inner conflicts and the complicated search for hope, it opens with a breathtaking bittersweet orchestral arrangement, impressively composed and programmed entirely by feral. This delicate opening gives way to a massive electronic drop filled with distorted synths and heavy drums before culminating in a soaring, euphoric climax that offers a brilliant flash of optimism.
When it is time to bring pure joy, the album certainly delivers. The title track, ‘Mango’, is an absolute delight of melodic deep house, built on wonderfully warm synths and bouncy basslines. The energy then peaks with the closer, ‘Smoji’, an explosive progressive house track packed with massive builds and powerful, uplifting drops. It is easy to see why this became an instant favourite among early listeners. The track famously served as the fiery finale to his recent launch party at Denver’s Catbird Hotel, an event that marked feral’s debut DJ performance complete with a spectacular custom light show he designed himself.
Mango is a triumph of tension and release. By moving seamlessly between intimate emotional moments and exhilarating electronic production, tom feral has crafted a brilliantly cathartic listening experience. It beautifully captures the uncertain but hopeful journey toward happiness, cementing itself as a standout release.
