An example of how music is not just for the ears, but for mind and body as well, Mieko Shimizu harnesses the sound of the beyond in her mesmerizing new two-song EP, 'Breathe Out.'
Otherworldly and hypnotic, Shimizu uses a blend of live and electronic instruments to produce layers of oscillating frequencies that mimic "the veil between the earthly and the divine." The EP feels like a fall in slow motion into still water that seeps into your skin, filling you with the beauty and confusion of the world.
The title track, "Breathe Out," is a display of momentum, using flute melodies and atmospheric synths to represent expansion. Its counterpart, "Breathe In," draws the listener back, using complementary elements to represent the cyclical nature of breath. The songs together feel intertwined at the roots, playing off of each other as easily as a breath out leads to a breath in.
Entirely unconventional in sound and structure, the two songs place Shimizu somewhere in the avant-garde movement, though that label is really only to describe the difficulty of categorizing a work of art that is so distinctly itself.
The music video brings the EP to life in a captivating display of movement. Dancer Violet Savage moves through a dark space, capturing the impossible ambience of the piece using elements of both flow and distortion to synchronize herself with the sonic textures.
If you have some time to sit still and listen, this is definitely not one to miss.
