Notes record is intense (4)
I believe the answer is:
deep
'intense' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)
'notes record' is the wordplay.
'notes' becomes 'de' (two musical notes).
'record' becomes 'EP' (abbreviation for extended play record).
'de'+'ep'='DEEP'
'is' is the link.
(Other definitions for deep that I've seen before include "Cavernous" , "profoundly" , "down a long way" , "Extending far down" , "Mysterious" .)