heard on “melancholia” are interpretations of honzo’s subconscious visions of life. the intense compositions are made up of drones, noises and distorted beats moving in and out of the frame. on opener “orientalism” said elements blend with hi-hat brushes, brassy synth pads, sci-fi noises and distant human voices evoking islam’s “adhan” (call to prayer). the theme contemplates over alienation caused by western accounts of “orientalism”, soaked in “hüzün” (the turkish term for melancholia). on a2 a rework of “moral masochism” is provided by the mysterious shadows outfit, starting with a distorted guitar over a slow and gritty rhythmic backbone which gradually turns into a chaotic high-intensity acid jam on the ep’s most dance floor suitable cut. on the flipside, “lovesickness” presents a broken kick rhythm periodically flipped by toms and accompanied by a disorienting hi-hat rhythm, ghostly strings and sporadic human moans – all resulting in a tribal mood, recalling a ceremony, perhaps a quest for a saviour from the blue temper? b2 presents the “moral masochism” original. again a distorted guitar plays over a slow rhythm, but compared to the remix, the original’s intensity is introverted, contemplating over melancholia’s effect of deriving gratification from self-inflicted moral humiliation. ambient closer “emptiness” explores a cold state with such an encapsulating airiness that it feels like a close account of another person’s mood down to the impression of their breath. arpeggiated synth noises appear from a distance representing increasing pressure from the outside world without ever suppressing the state of mind. as a result, “emptiness” sums up the state of melancholia experienced as a mood rather than the effect of a cause.
