In the span of 3-minutes - seemingly disappearing in an instant - this debut single wanders through the tortuously cyclical experience of forgiving one’s self.
RELEASE DATE: 5 MAY 2021 GENRE: DARK AMBIENT / AMBIENT / COLD WAVE An already minimal song, ‘Antidote’ somehow feels shorter than the displayed time duration. Sitting at almost 3 minutes; the track is segmented into 3 parts. For most of it you’re swimming through these gossamer synths that act like soundscapes more than melodies. Yet the emotional journey is clear.
The journey launches with the sound of a space command center communication (based on what is being said in the clip, it’s probably from one of the United States’ Discovery missions) and concludes in a sudden, but timely escalation of synth patterns as if emulating the shuttle launching itself.
An ambient piece with potential in the production choices, ‘Antidote’ is confessional without having to say anything much at all
Wander, a solo project by Iwann, stated in his press release that the song is a song about self-forgiveness. “I used to be a fool back then and really had a long period to forgives [sic] myself. So, forgiving myself is like a medicine to me”. This is evident in the hypnotic catatonia in the line “Nothing hurts me”, echoed throughout the song. Depending on your mood it can sound like meditation, or depressing self-flagellation. (or both! Who are we to simplify human emotions?)
Wander is entirely new to the scene, with ‘Antidote’ as his very first debut single. Based on his press material, he refuses to name his sound, (or has not been able to pinpoint the adjectives yet). The influences he’s cited, e.g. The 1975, Hindia, Midnight Fusic & Frank Ocean, barely appears in his music at all. There are smatterings of this song that might be found in an interlude on The 1975 album A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships or the digital nocturnalism and introspection of Frank Ocean’s recent works. Or maybe all of this is too soon to tell from just one single? We can only wonder.
RATING:
4 / 5