Album Review: “The Melancholiac II” by JSDavani
Smeared surrealism soaked in acidic alliteration gives JSDavani’s “The Melancholiac II” a wonderful and wild approach. Entirely and utterly baffling, the songs defy easy categorization. JSDavani exists on the proper fringes, making things like genres hard to place. Yes, there is certainly a catchiness to the entire procession, but it is not the usual poppy demeanor. Everything here is far too complicated for pop. It layers, expanding the whole sound into the seemingly infinite. The word “experimental” has been coined for music like this, the kind that seemingly embodies a distinctive personality.
The reference points love the outsiders. The vocal treatment clearly nods to the early work of the Residents, as the art flair and general unclassifiable demeanor give it a distinctive charm. Further along, the dreamy scope sometimes captures the equally perplexing narratives of Connan Mockasin because there’s that same element of infectious hooks alongside some real out-there approaches, easily listening as a half-forgotten dream. Some of the melodies have a haunted beauty, drawing from the nostalgic hues of Leyland Kirby’s countless sorrowful projects. For all these touchstones, this remains a highly unique work that lives on the edges.
“Heartdrops” opens the album, setting the tone for what follows. The use of field recordings continues the blurred lines of composition, as is found in “Feeling is shared.” Sci-fi elements permeate James Ferraro - referencing “Wants/Needs: A war between.” Fractured rhythms get broken and stretched beyond the recognizable with “2wait4weight.” Layers give “_:00 AM” a sense of enormity, like there is no definitive beginning or end, with the synthesizers feeling like they could melt away at any moment.
Going for a subdued ethos are the broken beats and mournful moodiness of “The Melancholiac II” Like a half-remembered dream is the bliss of “Falling asleep: Nodding off” with little melodic fragments bubbling through. Near-silence runs through the captivating “That warm place: Denial.” Vocals become impossible to place on the endless manipulation of “WAKING Up :the sky with laughter.” “The Bottom :escape extinction” remains hard to grasp, with the multi-faceted, multi-suite piece giving it a sense of eternity. Tying everything together is the industrial-edged “A Beginning/Ending :Rinse/Repeat.”
“The Melancholiac II” is an album to get completely lost in and surrender to, and JSDavani proves to be a skilled worldbuilder of weirdness.