Let me get this out of the way.
The album artwork goes irredemably hard.
I mean LOOK AT THIS.
Looking at a corner of the screen in a close-up shot has got to be my favorite album artwork.
This is an artist I found very late into the year.
From the first listen, his songs are unlike anything I've heard before in the realm of techno.
There's a mix of speed and melody that you can’t find anywhere else.
And so I dove deep into his whole discography and let me tell you...
This EP is his most experimental stuff yet. There's a lot more emphasis on melodies compared to his previous work.
So what makes this EP special? That's what we're finding out today
For My People
This one starts fast and strong. The name seems to be a nod to those fans who love the classic sound of I Hate Models.
At least that’s what the lyrics made it seem like, lol.
There are melodies sprinkled in between the song that keep you on your toes.
The addition of guitars in the midsection beautifully connects it to the second drop. I don’t know how he did it but he did and it’s AMAZING.
Even though this is a 6-minute song, it doesn't really feel that way.
I Hate Models is a master of engaging songs. His intros, midsections and outros all have special features in them. The speed at the beginning, the guitar in the middle, and the soft pads at the outro all have a special connection to a fantastic experience.
As an intro song to the EP this is fantastic.
Forever Melancholia
This song introduced me to IHM. It caught my attention right from the start.
There's something odd about Melancholia as a concept. Like every emotion, it’s just as complex as humans.
When I first heard the vocals, I thought it was saying, "I'm not healed.” Then I saw the lyric video and realized it's actually saying "I Love You.” Am I the melancholic one here?
This one has a better buildup. The Pendulum-like vocals add that nostalgic bite to it.
The composition of this song is an absolute masterwork. There are too many things going on in this one. From different melodies, concepts, and drops all coming together
Where this song truly shines is the second part of it, where the melody starts.
This is where my love for I Hate Models started. The combination of hard-hitting melodies and a fantastic speed section feeds my need for melody and tempo that matches the speed of my thoughts.
It only gets better from there on. The chorus that plays as the song goes on gives it an impeccable aura of glory.
And how can I forget about the outro my beloved.
Few artists can match IHM's outros.
It feels an afterthought in how most artists end the song abruptly or tone it down. In these songs the outro is its own section.
Don’t believe me? Play the outro first and then the intro and you'll see how it's not even the same song.
Even as the song closes, there's this tone of achievement and power. Like a trip completed, or a treasure found. It's that last section that made me play the song again just so I could hear it all over again.
This is a song you have to listen to from start to finish to get its full beauty. Skip by, and you'll miss the transitions that turn this simple song into a 7 minute experience.
Twin Souls
The intro for this one is fantastic. I'm a complete sucker for synth melodic intros, and this did more than deliver.
The buildup does not prepare you for the raw energy of the drop.
Once again, he hits a perfect mix of melody with speed. It has this symphony that gets cut with amazing, powerful midsections that keep you from skipping.
IHM Plays very well with speed and story. Always focusing on the experience itself.
Even though these songs are longer than the traditional songs (Heck. This EP is LONGER than a lot of albums), they never feel long or drawn out.
The song is very reminiscent of Digitalism, most specifically falling (A classic that I hate models has kept exclusive to sets)
If you enjoy energy, this is the perfect song for that.
Forgotten Future
This is that one song from the album that took some listens for me to enjoy.
It's an odd start from the rest of the EP. This one has a very weird mixture of well... everything.
There are industrial-like sounds, deep guitars, lyrics that sound out of a rap song, and lyrics from... a rock song. I don't really know lol.
It does get better as it goes. This sounds like an action scene. The consistent techno sound is only broken in by random vocals that give it more ambiance.
There is, of course, the IHM Magic that gives each section of the song its own theme.
As always, my favorite section is the one after the second drop.
That final section is full of everything I love: an addictive melody, a gorgeous buildup, and a drop that somehow feels faster than the first one despite being almost the same, lol.
And as always, the outro comes in to close out the song in such a glorious fashion that it makes the whole experience worth it.
I wish he made an EP full of outros. It would be a beautiful work of art.
Nostalgica
Small admission: I LOVE flutes. They are probably my favorite instrument after drums.
And guess what! This song has both.
I'm sure this is a song you can play at a Victorian-era party and not have the attendants vanish into dust immediately after, lol.
The song seems to be a loop with little changes sprinkled in. Thematically, it makes sense. Nostalgia is a cycle that few can escape.
Just look at Reddit. It is still stuck in the golden era of the 2010s, even though there is one going on right now.
I think that this and Forever Melancholia encapsulate everything I love about electronic music. Melody with a mixture of digital and analog sounds, clean drums, and a rhythm to tie it all together.
As always, the outro is where the true beauty comes out and gives a satisfying ending. Just like every good story has.
In conclusion.
I am a top glazer of anything that innovates. I may be in the wrong for this but this is what the techno world needs more of.
In a genre full of raw sounds, adding a level of melody and experience to songs can strengthen their aura.
I genuinely love this EP and what it stands for. It innovates without abandoning the principles that make a genre great. You’ll be pleasantly surprised of the innovation, even if you love traditional techno.
So what are you still doing here? GO support it, buy it, stream it, whatever that looks like for you.
And as always...
Njoy.
Reply