Style: vaporwave
Thoughts: Higeki, tragedy. An event that is often so hurtful, so full of loss, so completely disparaging that it often becomes a life defining moment for those involved. This is the type of life event that ll nothing ll's Higeki captures through his sombre music.
Higeki is one of the first releases in nothing's discography where he started moving away from classic vaporwave. In it's place we have a more experimental, less defined musical narrative. Higeki itself still showcases a lot of the speed and reverb found within classic vaporwave, but the atmosphere and instrumentals are entirely different.
Instead of the nostalgia riddled releases of the past, Higeki reaches more for an internal narrative. One that encourages reflection, and a more melancholic look at life. The atmosphere is created between the interplay of sampled keyboards, slow percussion, and a distant trumpet. Those who know me and my taste will know that I'm a sucker for ambient music with a trumpet... that rings true here as well.
Though short, Higeki marks an important and fundamental change for nothing. This release sees the tragedy of life and it's aftermath. Instead of yearning for what once was, it yearns for that which we can no longer have. A hole that can never be filled. A tragedy that cannot be undone.
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Why? Why do we do this to ourselves? Why do we always seek out companionship from those who do not reciprocate? Why do we seek comfort in those that are Ever So Distant?
ll nothing ll's second EP on this record is one that flirts with vaporwave, much like Higeki did... but the feeling of the songs are completely different than classic vaporwave. This time the nostalgia is replaced with longing, loneliness, and ultimately hopelessness.
A slow and grinding beat drives the music ever forward, towards an inevitable end. Over top this beat is where the emotional toll of Ever So Distant begins to take hold. Brass instruments are used effectively throughout the release to slowly strip away hope and resilience. In their place we are left with a husk of emotions that simply exist but do not have purpose. The life that was once in us is gone, slowly eroded away by Ever So Distant's forlorn music.
The thing that makes Ever So Distant unique is it's ability to sway my mood away from any sort of joy I'm feeling in any given moment. It will almost certainly put me into a reflective or even somber mood by the end of the four songs. It's rare that music is able to do this, and nothing has achieved this with Ever So Distant. So this comes with a cautious recommendation, but please know what you are getting into... this music is not to be taken lightly.
