guest mix: melmoth_the_wanderer

The greatest joy that I get from going to Mixcloud is discovering new music. New music means new artists to discover. HGTR's ODES TO THE SEA mix is the first thing (and usually the only) that I spin for my every other day bike rides around the BWI airport loop (12.5 miles or 20 kilometers); it has made an impact upon me for sure because of the newness of it and its diversity. Being a musician, I absolutely thrive on discovering new sounds, progressions, and styles, and it's a really big deal to me to discover a completely new direction of music and mixing.

That brings us to MELMOTH_THE_WANDERER. Through the absolute graciousness of Melmoth, I've been sent some mixes to review and choose from. Reviewing is scaring me a bit, choosing is very difficult as they are all quite amazing (headphones required for subtle fright). I'm pretty jealous of the vibe that Melmoth creates, and it's as if Halloween is every day (only with more nightmares and less Pokemon masks). If you showed up to Freddie Krueger's house for a treat, Melmoth's music would be spinning. Like HGTR, Melmoth has caused me to delve past the music to try and find the information behind the music, search the artists, and figure out why and how they created what they did. All while wearing goosebumps. A mix like THE HAUNTING OF THE WITCHES CAVE had me reading up on some fairly frightening narrative, and every mix from Melmoth is a history lesson. I would have to say that Melmoth's music is not for the casual listener, and that's a very good thing. Every mix demands your attention and your mental focus as it urges you to wrestle with your uprising innermost fear. We are provided with an insight to his madness via Soundcloud:

"Born at an exceedingly young age I have been locked into the sounds of the night, the light and the half light every since.....these are the private memoirs and confessions of a justified sinner - a devout and religious miscreant.....not all that wander are lost. I am just one of a collective of like-minded individuals who have been collecting, conservating, and curating the back catalogue of forgotten Hauntology trailblazers."

I've decided that one mix is not enough, hence I'm posting 3 of them (my favorites). I would advise that you not sleep with these on, or listen before bedtime. Rather, play this during the day, when you are wide awake and maybe over the top happy or something. Take in the fearful groove of these mixes. An absolute must is a visit to MELMOTH_THE_WANDERER'S MIXCLOUD PAGE to hear more incredibly and carefully mixed creations. You can also read up a bit more on Melmoth at THE FIELD BAZAAR WIKIMEDIA, and hear even more at THE FIELD BAZAAR SOUNDCLOUD. This is music that chooses to invoke a reaction. These mixes get better every time I hear them, and like anything meaningful create a good story along the way. Melmoth will get a reaction, rest assured. Enjoy the fear, my friends.

Turn on, tune in, have nightmares, stay awake for awhile, then sleep (with the lights on)...

[DOWNLOAD THE LEGEND OF THE DEMON TREE]

(my personal favorite)

[DOWNLOAD HAUNTING THE SONAMBULIST]

[DOWNLOAD THE INSOMNIAC'S ALMANAC]