Omid Dolatkhah - 3

 Released: July 28

One of the latest efforts released from Iranian composer Omid Dolatkhah, this five piece EP covers a lot of ground from horror-adjacent to blissfully ambient tones. It consists of five long, wandering tracks, each one occupying somewhere between ten and fifteen minutes. They all have a common theme of lossley experimenting with field recordings and piano/synth tones in a manner that creates these complex and spanning atmospheric experiences, each nice with its own unique characteristics. “#3” is one of the most field recordings centered of the pieces, consisting of a intricate water-based sound that swirls and envelops the other sounds around it as soft keys play out a seemingly sad and sparse melody while awash in the hydrophonic sounds. But, true to the exquisite meandering nature of the compositions, the track slowly shifts as the water fades away and the keys carry us into a synth driven swirl that brings on a rather hypnotic feeling. 

Another piece that leans heavily into atmosphere over melody is the at times barely perceptible “#4.” Rather than center around a particular harmony or melody, we are treated to a ghostly apparition of sound combinations. Deep and rumbling tones mix and bleed into haunting pads that feel like we are walking through an unmarked graveyard. I particularly enjoyed this one as it begins with this atonal melange and slowly builds up into a bleeping, scattered mess only to fade back into the soft and haunting ambience it began with. 

The EP overall is quite diverse. I thoroughly enjoy the variety of tonalities and love the seemingly wandering structure of the pieces. It’s a rich EP that demands headphones so it can fully envelop your attention and ears.