The Tribal Chief is back with Absolution.

One of my favorite things about liquid is its simple “canvas” formula. The magic comes from the little details in the background.

The kicks and snares give a stable canvas for the artist to cook up whatever they want.

It honestly makes for one of the widest and most addicting subgenres. But I’ll be the first to say that it CAN get old fast.

On to the EP.

Let’s begin by saying this is the cleanest, smoothest, and close to being the best EP from Mohican Sun yet. (You’ll have to wait for the mega tribal dnb post coming soonTM to find out what the best EP is)

That is a tall order, considering every single release is a gorgeous experience that has you feeling part of the tribe and liquid island they always paint in their songs.

Full disclosure I tried building a narrative on this one. This is the best considering it’s a 4 track EP.

Absolution

THIS is the sound of a jungle. More than that, it paints a picture of conflict—surviving a night in the jungle vibe.

Energetic, addictive, and more. This is a fantastic way to start the EP. It gives you the feeling of tribesmen escaping a chase [;)] or going through a ritual in which you’ll [redacted] unless you escape.

The violins in the background are a gorgeous addition. At some point I was hearing three different basslines telling their own story.

This is PEAK Mohican Sun production.

The buildup melody is gorgeous and continues through the whole song. Everything else builds and decorates around it.

Best part is the drop mid-section, where the whole violin orchestra starts out of nowhere. It’s the audible feeling of freedom after a good fight (or finally peeing after holding it for too long).

It’s a stormy night and there seems to be chaos in one of the villages. There are yells and fire, and just by the gates, a chase has begun.

Our protagonist runs through the jungle, leaving ripples of water in his wake while dodging the spears and arrows being shot at him.

It becomes harder to see as he dodges and fights to escape. His legs are weakening and he’s running out of breath. Soon enough, the storm worsens, and the persecutors end the pursuit.

Upon noticing the fallback, he takes the chance and hides from the storm in a nearby cave. Once inside, he opens his hand to see if the treasure is still there…

He sighs with relief upon seeing it. But there isn’t much time left. The chase will continue once the storm fades.

He sees a familiar mountain near the distance and decides to go there. It’s a day trip, but there is something he must do.

Blurred Peak

Another magical audible adventure on the island.

This mellow song takes you to the mountains - that I definitely did not make up - on the island to explore and climb; it paints a vision of the climb and descent of said mountain - with a hint of reflection and conclusion.

The background sound does a fantastic job setting the scene, permeating the song with awe.

The vocals are an OKAY addition, but hey, that’s a rant for another day.

Everything else is perfection.

The sun sets, and the night sky is painted dark. Our protagonist is halfway through the climb to the peak of the mountain. He knows it’s the last time he’ll see that place and must pay his respects. After all, it’s the sacred place of his coronation.

As he gets closer to the top, stars decorate the night sky. The slight glimmer from the moon guides his path. He recalls the day of his coronation—a day full of excitement, celebrations, and, in the background, jealousy.

How was he oblivious to what was happening? How did he not see it coming? Why did he refuse to listen?

He gets to the top and stops to take a breath. He regains composure and looks at the mountain’s edge to take it all in.

His village, the waterfalls, the ample jungle, and the ocean. What was once his domain is now a bitter reminder.

A gentle night breeze hits his face, and he looks up to see the night sky. The stars dance, the clouds drift, and the eagles fly. He takes a seat and takes one last look at the view.

He lays down, knowing he can’t stay there for long. If the hunters come and catch him, it would’ve all been for nothing.

He looks at the item in his hand, lays it on his chest, and closes his eyes. There’s still a long way to go.

Green Silk

Meh. I don’t dig the lyrics and the song gives “nights at a jazz club - but fast” vibes. (this one was also the hardest to fit into the narrative)

This is the signature “let’s experiment a little bit” track. Again, it’s disappointing when you consider how magical the rest of the songs are.

The switches and breaks are nice, but overall it’s… meh.

ESPECIALLY after the masterpieces shown before this song.

My distaste is just personal preference.

He descends from the mountain back into the jungle. Reflecting on all he’s done as he tries to make amends with the past.

An unjust trial, the betrayal of an ally, and a failed assassination. All because of his opposition.

But there is no going back now. The only path is forward and far away. Even if the island is small, there are other places to go and ways to start over.

He just has to get far away enough.

Scatter

The intro has a mellow feel to it. Followed by a gorgeous melody that decorates the song all the way.

I’ll be the first to say that this is one of the most beautiful and melodic tracks from Mohican Sun - EVER. He outdid himself with this one.

It SOUNDS like something is being torn apart and thrown all around while falling items cause a ripple where they land.

All the elements, the instruments, and the perfect sound assortment. It’s like every part of the song is going in a different direction. Some parts have two instruments and synths playing different rhythms at the same time. The main melody holds everything together beautifully.

This one turned into instant love when listening to it.

Everything about it makes this Audible Gold and a majestic way to end the EP.

As he gets closer to the border between tribes, he feels an arrow nearly miss him. He’s been found.

He begins to run for it to the other side of the border. He’s come this close.

But no matter how much he runs, he can’t stop seeing them. How did they know? Was there someone else?

It doesn’t matter. He must complete his promise.

As he gets closer to the border, he feels a pinch. And the island comes alive.

Wind blows between the trees, scattering leaves all around him. The embers of the flames on the torches marking the border come alive and rise. The earth feels soft and light, inviting him to get buried within. The sounds of the river marking the border create a rhythm heard throughout the jungle, or is it his head?

There he lays, at the tip of the border between tribes. His arm reached past the border.

He opens his hand and allows the amulet to roll off his hand to the other side of the border.

He closes his eyes and smiles with his last bit of energy.

His mission is complete.

CONCLUSION.

Full disclaimer. I had to change the narrative because the other one was somehow more cringe than this one.

It was a fun experiment for what’s a gorgeous EP.

Don’t @ me about the narrative of the 3rd song. It’s a miracle I was able to come up with that.

These deep dives are fun to write, and I like where they are heading.

Sure, they’re imperfect and a bit cringe, but this is a lesson for everyone who wants to take it:

“Start first. See if you can figure it out as you go.”

As for the grading?

This gets 10 tribes out of 25 spears

FINAL FINAL WORDS

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See you soon.