Review: Thien Dragon — CHAOS GARDEN

Thien Dragon
CHAOS GARDEN
RealTDragon
Street: 10.25.2025
Thien Dragon = death’s dynamic shroud + Gorillaz

The power of creation on the internet is limitless. With enough dedication, effort and know-how, you can do whatever you want and make whatever you want. Thien Dragon has seized this potential and run with it, creating an entire digital world, comic series and album a la Damon Albarn’s Gorillaz on their own. CHAOS GARDEN is a thought-out combination of video and audio about love, exploration and connection with early 2000s MySpace electronic music and chunky polygon graphics.

Despite the name, CHAOS GARDEN is sonically tame. A lot of this album is inspired by MySpace music blogs, so that particular brand of bubblegum glitch electronica is all over this project with breakcore, glitchpop and modern hyperpop sounds. “Hello Kitty Cutie” is the biggest club banger on the album, with its super bright pulsing beats, fast drums and lyrics about a girl decked out in cute 2000s aesthetics. “Hey love” is a fun, pump anthem that has just the right amount of energy to get you to dance along with its simple refrain. Thien Dragon also creates hypnotizing, soothing beats that glide effortlessly while adding in found sounds, shifted vocals and even some piano and guitar sections. “can we race til tomorrow” is a very fun and light video game-esque track that gives energy to the track list. “2nd Chance” and “not ok with running away” are great for their smooth blending of guitar and piano into their electronic beats.

CHAOS GARDEN also comes with a companion cartoon made by Thien Dragon. It follows Dragon, Melune and Neo, as they travel across video game worlds to stop the spread of chaos energy by destroying gem creatures. With low-poly graphics, dreamy pinks and purples and video game references, Thien’s world is a fun, playful adventure that lets you release your stress and tension. The lyrics of CHAOS GARDEN range from in-universe expressions of the characters to Thien’s exploration of love and connection in the digital age. “One Life Over Again,” “HEART PIECE” “2nd Chance” and “I WANT TO FEEL ALIVE” are great for the combination of videogame and digital interactions with love, yearning and the power of connections that form from afar.

Thien Dragon has crafted an incredible experience of sights and sounds to let the audience explore love and affection in the modern age. By creating both the album and the cartoon world around it, the band has strengthened both parts together by having a heartwarming story and touching animation be conjoined with cathartic and lovely glitchpop and breakcore revival. CHAOS GARDEN is a fully complete project made to get lost in and let the pixelated waves and .wav files soothe your eyes and heart. —Connor Kraus  

Read more music reviews by Connor Kraus:
Local Review: The Madeline — Peaceful Uncertainty/With Senses Wide Open
Local Music Singles Roundup: December 2025