[REVIEW] T. Ledger : Cadet (Album)

 T.Ledger - Cadet (Album)

Cadet is the latest release by music producer T. Ledger. The album released on the 25th April 2025 and features 12 tracks with some featured artists on 4 of these. 

Track 1: Lord Of Chaos (ft. Boogie)

The album kicks off with "Lord of Chaos," a track that lives up to its name right from the first few bars. Jagged, melodic guitar riffs tear through a haze of warped synths, all set against a glitchy soundscape that feels like it's constantly shifting underfoot. The result is a disorienting yet captivating audio environment that pulls you in rather than pushes you away. It's a bold opening move that leans heavily into experimental rock and electronic influences. It is a sharp left turn from the more straightforward sound of T. Ledger’s earlier hits like "Loneliness" and "Switch." "Lord of Chaos" signals that this record isn’t playing it safe, and sets the stage for a more unpredictable, adventurous listen.

Track 2: Odyssey (ft. Boogie)

“Odyssey” shifts the tone from experimental to gentle almost with piano opening the track. We are quickly thrown back into the electronic and rock field however with the distorted guitars and glitchy percussive twangs and speed changing taps. Although “Odyssey” is the longest track on the album, its length is fully justified; the piece unfolds like an ever-evolving journey, constantly shifting in mood, texture, and tempo. The rapping that joins in on the track later adds a new rhythm that the track didn’t present in its entirety prior. The recurring lyric, “something seems off,” perfectly captures the disorienting, dream-like quality of the track’s design. Each sonic twist and unexpected shift reinforces this sense of unease and adventure, making “Odyssey” a standout moment on the album for its ambition, depth, and tension.

Track 3: Cadet

The title track, “Cadet,” stands out as a defining moment in the album’s sonic journey, fully embracing the glitchy, experimental textures that have become a signature throughout the project. This track leans heavily into digital distortion, layered synths, and intricate drum programming, creating a complex, otherworldly soundscape that feels both futuristic and slightly disorienting — in the best way possible.

The name “Cadet” appears to reference the idea of a “space cadet”, and this theme is echoed in the music’s ambience. Warped tones and sci-fi-inspired synths float around the stereo field like debris in zero gravity, while fragmented drums click and pulse with unpredictable energy. The result is a sound environment that transports the listener beyond earthly confines — it’s a sonic odyssey into uncharted territory.

Track 4: Na Na (ft. Boogie)

“Na Na” is the 4th track of the album which upon first inspection takes on a typical trap beat style. However, as the song unfolds, it quickly sheds any expectations of convention and adds the elements of randomness and experimentation that we have come to expect as listeners.The growing cacophony of sounds creates an ever distorting track with changing themes throughout. What begins as a relatively chilled, groove-based track gradually morphs into a chaotic and haunting soundscape.Using foley instrumentation in parts as percussion such as glass tapping and strings of guitars being played in unusual ways, this track uses various points of inspiration to develop its unique style. 

Track 5: New Horizon

Following the chaotic and experimental nature of “Na Na,” “New Horizon” offers a moment of clarity while continuing the album’s adventurous sonic palette. This track leans into guitar-driven textures, where guitar plucks and strums are cleverly used to mimic percussive elements, providing both rhythm and tone. These rhythmic guitar patterns create a unique backbone for the track, setting it apart from the more synth-heavy or beat-forward compositions heard earlier.

Track 6: Son of a B*tch

Track 6 pushes further into experimental territory, blending layered guitars and vocals with descending synths and 8-bit textures. Cymbals add a rhythmic pulse, though the tempo is often disrupted by the abstract interplay between instruments and vocals. As the sonic layers build, the vocals occasionally become obscured, immersing the listener in a dense, disorienting soundscape.

Track 7: I’m SIck

The track “I’m SIck” begins with an understated lyrical presence, as the vocals are intentionally subdued in the mix, allowing the sharp, swelling synths to take center stage. This design choice gives the song an eerie, detached tone, enhancing the sense of emotional numbness or internal conflict implied by the title. Around the one-minute mark, the song subtly transitions into a more rhythmically driven EDM-inspired section, marked by pulsating beats and glitchy textures, while still holding onto its experimental roots. The guitars, though less prominent, weave unpredictably through the soundscape with an erratic, almost improvisational style, adding a layer of texture and tension without dominating the mix. The overall result is a track that feels volatile, evolving, and emotionally complex.

Track 8: Keys to the Kingdom

“Keys to the Kingdom” leans heavily into a dense, distorted sonic atmosphere, with crunch-laden textures forming the backbone of the track’s ambient soundscape. This distortion creates a raw, gritty foundation that lends the track an aggressive, almost industrial edge. Complementing this are synthesizers processed with a tremolo effect, which introduces a jittery, rhythmic pulse that causes the melodic elements to stutter and flicker across the mix. This trembling effect not only gives the song a restless, jumpy quality but also enhances its sense of movement and unpredictability. Together, the layered distortion and modulated synths create a sound that feels both chaotic and deliberate—an audibly charged landscape that pushes tension and momentum forward throughout the track.

Track 9: Stop Calling my Phone

Sound design takes center stage in this track, shaping its entire sonic identity with a strong sense of intentionality and mood. One of the standout elements is the use of filtered synthesizers, which create a dynamic “wah” effect—similar to the movement of a talk box or sweeping pedal. This effect adds a sense of motion and expressiveness, almost as if the synths are speaking or reacting emotionally to the rest of the instrumentation.

The guitars play a supporting, chordal role, laying down a steady harmonic foundation that anchors the track. Rather than taking the spotlight, they act as a glue between the various layers, adding warmth and texture beneath the more experimental elements. Vocally, the delivery is quick and sharp, almost like rhythmic punctuation within the broader mix. The vocals don’t dominate but instead serve as another instrument—punchy, distant, and at times fragmented—further enhancing the track’s textural depth. It’s a piece that feels alive and in motion, as if it’s constantly shifting under your feet, driven by creative choices in sound design that feel both technical and deeply human.

Track 10: I Love a Girl

“I Love a Girl” continues the album’s adventurous spirit, plunging the listener even deeper into its chaotic and electrified soundscape. From the very first seconds, the track builds a dense, synthesized atmosphere where both the beat and the vocals seem to fuse into a single, swirling mass of sound. The production layers buzzing synths with gritty textures, creating an environment that feels both unstable and mesmerising. The chaos that this song presents is an environment we have grown to expect at this point in the album. Interestingly, the vocals in “I Love a Girl” don’t sit traditionally within the mix; rather than floating clearly over the instrumental, they are partially submerged within the chaos, acting more like another layer of percussion or a textural element rather than a clean melodic line. “I Love a Girl” stands out as a bold artistic choice, reinforcing the album’s evolving narrative of unpredictability, emotional layering, and sound experimentation.

Track 11: Membrane (ft. Samuel Lockton)

In “Membrane,” the piano and lead vocals step into a narrative role like fragments of dialogue drifting in from different corners of a crowded room. The background instrumentation, including ambient synths and subtle secondary vocals, feels like overheard conversations or background noise from a radio. At moments, the vocals themselves take on a dual function, not just telling the story but also providing a rhythmic pulse. Their lower registers mimic percussive bass, subtly reinforcing the beat and adding texture without relying on traditional drums. The overall effect is immersive and multi-dimensional, inviting listeners to sit in the middle of the room and absorb the overlapping moments of emotion, thought, and noise.

Track 12: Watching the Footy

"Watching the Footy" takes an experimental turn with its piano, which is distorted to create a raw, textured sound. The vocals move in and out of the track, weaving through the music and contributing to a wall of sound that fills the space. The physical clicking of the piano keys adds an intimate, almost tactile element to the piece, grounding the track in a sense of realism.

While the experimental elements are still present, they are less pronounced here, giving the impression of a conclusion or the closing of a chapter. The synths remain in the background, subtly shaping the atmosphere without drawing too much attention to themselves. The overall vibe of the track feels more reflective, as though it's winding down after the previous experimental journeys, offering a moment of closure before the end.

Conclusion

Cadet by T. Ledger is a bold, experimental journey through sound, where the boundaries of genre and conventional structure are constantly pushed and redefined. The album opens with intense, chaotic energy in "Lord of Chaos" and evolves through a range of sonic textures that blend experimental rock, electronic, and glitch elements. Each track brings something new, from the distorted guitars and glitchy synths of "Odyssey" to the out-of-this-world ambience of the title track "Cadet." Tracks like "Na Na" and "I Love a Girl" showcase Ledger’s ability to seamlessly combine chaos and melody, while "Membrane" and "Watching the Footy" offer a more introspective, atmospheric vibe. The album’s experimentation with sound design and unconventional song structures provides an immersive experience, inviting listeners to embrace the unpredictable. As it progresses, Cadet takes unexpected twists, combining intricate textures, distorted vocals, and complex rhythms, creating a dynamic and ever-evolving landscape. By the final track, the album’s thematic journey feels complete—offering a reflective, almost cinematic conclusion. Cadet is an album for those looking to explore a unique, boundary-pushing soundscape that challenges both the listener’s expectations and their perceptions of music.

Listen to T. Ledger’s music here: https://open.spotify.com/album/14hBXwcotoM1Jr2JjjAeGp?si=Zx2BQTSnR2CM3XKT_QErog&nd=1&dlsi=483a93fea86a4053 

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Written by Kole Cook

@Kolecookmusic