Parthenay EP by Melodium (Review)

Melodium attempts to take purely electronic arrangements and make them sound organic and natural.
Parthenay EP - Melodium

Whereas Dudley weaves acoustic, organic instrumentation in with the electronica, Melodium attempts to take purely electronic arrangements and make them sound organic and natural.

Delicate synth melodies and snippets of conversations dance among glitch and laptop arrangements, which seem to bubble, sneeze, and hiccup. The music has a rather fluttery, diaphanous quality to it, like butterfly wings caught in a brisk spring breeze, and is often reminiscent of Múm’s whimsical and wondrous music (minus the breathy female vocals).

While the disc overall is a rather pretty affair, it does have a darker, more harrowing side. “Pluraple” builds off of a sleepy piano melody that hearkens back to Lucid’s peculiar form of ambience, or perhaps it staggered over after somehow escaping from Matt Elliot’s solo album. The glitch is far sharper and more brittle here, and the synths seem to positively weep and groan.

Finally, several artists lend their remixing skills to Melodium’s music; Dudley’s attempt gives “Mmiomm” a slightly more somber air, while Depth Affect lends “Terminus” some glitch-hop flava.

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