Evil Empath by Everlastingness

When you think of modern experimental electronic music, a certain sound probably comes to mind- crisp production with an oversaturated glitchy/hyper sound. Evil Empath by Everlastingness is timeless atmospheric industrial music that overturns these expectations, going back to the basics of early industrial in a way that’s extremely refreshing. Think echoing percussion, icey synths, and a spaciousness that adds value when placed alongside heavier, more intense moments. The project is endlessly expressive as it documents the artist’s journey in learning to produce music on their own. This piece of context reveals that this is the artist learning as they go, playing with new sounds as each track carries its own distinct voice and story. Vulnerability shines through without pretension.

It’s worth noting this project’s unique sense of pacing. The first two tracks are decidedly the most energetic, building from one word prompts that can be traced to form a loose storyline to a shouty noise track that erupts into an extremely satisfying IDM drop. After this adrenaline-fueled ride, you’re left alone to drift in an ocean of contemplative solitude, comforted only by the slow synth washes that come and go. This state of pent up energy and anticipation is strange but fascinating as the project melts into its next phase. Things escalate very intentionally from here with brief bursts of dynamism that distort and become unsettling. These haunting moments are meditative in a way, offering a strange sense of comfort and closure as the album finds its end.

- Carrie