Drawing us in with a cerebral, industrial soundscape with pulsating percussion, NO IDENTITY opens Almost Nothing with subversion and high concept prose with an assertive and philosophical edge. The opus expands with an almost haunting melodic energy as we are invited into what feels like a dark psychedelic universe.
There is an undeniable cinematic allure that manifests, and we could imagine Almost Nothing being featured in a movie like Limitless, Blade, or a TV show like Nine Perfect Strangers. The industrial motifs pull out to unveil a glistening almost meditative section with astral tones that rebuilds into the brutalist tech-rave energy of the track.
We love the layered vocals, specifically the accompanying harmonies that add a child-like almost pop quality to the otherwise visceral composition. The haunting celestial synth that emerges feels like something you might experience in a vampire movie like Nosferatu.
In essence, the lyrics of Almost Nothing explore the sentiments of self-hate, anxiety, and the fear of rejection that can arise from mental illness. There is a clear paradox of an intense human connection at play here too, and the distorted industrial sounds mirror that emotional chaos. The tempo shift slurs for the middle eight, which adds dimensionality and dynamism to the piece before a trippy, cathartic and neuroplasticty-enhancing finale.
NO IDENTITY, who cites a sole sonic influence of Nine Inch Nails, tells us, “I started writing it early in a committed romantic relationship, also near a height of mental illness that inspired the whole album. There were some things about me that I was afraid to bring up, and I thought of myself as a deceptive person by delaying telling them. I spiralled over it and fell into deep self loathing where I told lies to myself, lies that took a while to stop believing. This is the theme of the entire album.”
Speaking on the creative process of Almost Nothing, NO IDENTITY confesses, “The whole idea was to make a song that is muddy, distorted, ‘disgusting,’ and still be danceable and listenable. A huge challenge was the noisy instrument in the background of the whole track, the first instrument that plays in the song. The song is not the same without it, and I should know because I finished an ENTIRE version of the song without it first and decided to scrap it. In the end, the track ended up something the likes of which I have never heard before. Well worth the struggle and hair tearing out.”
Needless to say, we are in awe, and have added Almost Nothing to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TRIPPY playlist, whilst we continue to stream the entirety of NO IDENTITY‘s album, LIAR.