heil - MANTIS III

“I AM THE LONE LOCUST OF THE APOCALYPSE. THINK OF ME WHEN YOU LOOK TO THE NIGHT SKY”

There’s something so deeply introspective but transcendental about this tape. Even as it begins the transmission, we’re flipping through various sources from blown-out rap and pleadings of “I don’t want to lose you,” to brutal feelings of portrayal spotlighted in front of an applauding audience as the narrator’s voice cracks: “are you not happy for me??” naiyō and I were just discussing the other day heil’s ability to find pockets in even stranger burrows of source material, like the little line of spoken word that almost acts like a looping melody on ‘ballad,’ or the strange slice of drawling vocals chosen on ‘air’ with areyetee . These cavernous melodies are matched with drums fitting like a glove, like the short staccato hats and snares that drag behind each ‘oooo’ on ‘thorax,’ or the absolutely neck-breaking snare that shatters on ‘anew19.’ Beyond these amazing beats, the tape amasses into something that feels like you’ve ascended into another space, and by the time ‘away’ drifts through, you’re stranded in orbit looking down to the earth in peace and comfort. It’s a well-crafted, beautiful tape, and no doubt one I’ll keep coming back to constantly.

KEY BEAT: resume - while I love the softer moments on the tape, this one is just stupid good, with those same spoken word loops front and centre, and this rattling percussion hitting after every huge snare. If you’re not banging your head to this something’s wrong.