It’s with a heavy heart that I write this
“review” today, as it’s not really a
review. Or even whatever it is I happen to be writing on this platform at any
given time. See, I was introduced to Paralycyst with this release, and the man
who went by that pseudonym, Micah Danemayer, perished in the Ghost Ship fire in
Oakland. I had written a completely different reflection on this tape, and then
I scrapped it once I realized who Paraycyst was. In the end I just want to send
my heartfelt condolences to Danemayer’s friends and family, and to anyone who
has been touched by his music. I cannot imagine the pain that you feel. I hope
you all can heal in some way and come together to honor Danemayer’s memory. My
condolences also go out to the families and friends of others whose lives were
claimed in the fire. The tragedy is unimaginable.
I wonder if we can rally with some music? I
hope so. I always feel this great sense of camaraderie through music, and even
though I don’t get out to shows or anything anymore, it’s still such an
important part of my life and I know it’s a hugely important part of yours too.
Paralycyst made some really intense, gritty techno, and I had a lot of fun
getting through his half of the split. Sun Rad, from Boston, does a similar
trick on side B, albeit with thicker synthesizers. Both are equally engaging. I
wish I had more Paralycyst music to sift through. But even if you can get your
hands on this tape, you’ll be able to listen on repeat to some really excellent
dance tunes, and maybe that will help you ditch some of the pain for a while.
It won’t be gone, surely, but if we can’t celebrate life when we can, what’s
the point? That’s the great thing about music – its celebratory nature. I have
hope for us. I also have hope that tragedies like this can be minimized in the
future. This is my tribute to hope, and if it makes you feel better in some
way, or if it points you to music that makes you feel better, then I think I’ve
succeeded, just a little bit.
--Ryan Masteller
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