mentalEscape – Numb
mentalEscape – Numb – Album Review
Oy! That’s exciting!
Is there anything better than pushing play on a record and feel like you’re instantly being blown away by what you hear coming back through the speakers? Not in my world folks, I can tell ya that much with complete certainty. As the new album from mentalEscape began with “Exiled,” I immediately felt like this dude was in fantastic shape to say the very least – but I reserve the right to say the fucking MOST because this opening jam SLAPS y’all! Make no mistake, we know mentalEscape to be a project built on vividly imaginative music from what we’ve heard in the past…and we could hear things have been on a steady upward trajectory throughout our time listening, right up to and including a record we checked out last year called Upgrade…so it’s really no surprise to hear this dude swinging BIG on Numb once again. A genuine win for the combination of art & music AND a track that’ll get your rump shaking? Sign me the fuck on UP yo! “Exiled” is absolutely killer to listen to – and how many times are you going to think that a track basically inspired by The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge is gonna lead to the cut at the top of your playlists, right? Yet here we are, and it’s fucking fantastic to be here. Sorry…I tend to swear a lot when I get excited. I still apologize for it, because I’m Canadian and it’s what we do…but yeah…fucking turn this UP will ya? mentalEscape comes bursting out of the gate with stylistically poetic vocals in the mix for you this time around, and digitally-infused music that seems to have no limits on its intricate design filled with twists, turns, chops & stops…”Exiled” is 100% brilliant.
You might even feel like a lot of what you’ll hear on Numb is fairly comparable to another name in the independent scene that we love for its dark poetic vibes, Jack Of None. But you wanna know who I think that mentalEscape should contact? The Tea Party, from here in Canada. Don’t get it twisted y’all…I’m STOKED about the way things are sounding already on a track like “Suffering” and the vocals that we hear slithering around in such a deadly, mystical way that they do – I’m simply pointing out that having a voice like Jeff Martin on these tracks would be an extraordinary fit as well. Don’t rule it out – anything is possible in the day & age we’re living in! Martin loves this kind of ethereal, mysterious and mythical shit…I feel like mentalEscape could at the very least, make a good case for a collaboration. Anyhow – like I said…no reason not to be absolutely amazed by what you’ll already hear on this record, I’m just dreaming out loud. “Suffering” is one of those really effective combinations that is essentially a Spoken Word piece by the end, with that potently rhythmic punctuation in each line & stunningly clever word selection that keeps you completely engaged from start to finish…kinda like something along the lines of how “Pepper” by the Butthole Surfers worked its magic on ya years ago, albeit with an entirely different sound & overall theme here in “Suffering.” So…yeah…I mean…aside from the two songs being completely different, the approach to the structure and design has similarities – you all still with me? For real though – what’s not to love here? I love the whispered vocals and how clear they are, I love the vibrant mix on the music, I love the ART factor in what I’m hearing here…the craft of mentalEscape is at an all-time high for how sharp & focused it is right now dear readers, dear friends…these songs could cut you! The way that “Suffering” moves from the music to the microphone is straight up award-worthy – like, LISTEN to that punch around the 2:15 mark! You FEEL that moment, every single time you hear it.
By the time I got to “Success,” I felt like there was an extraordinarily good chance that this entire album would represent a significant breakthrough in mentalEscape’s career. I will be real with you and say that the inclusion of vocals was a good move, even though I’ve always enjoyed the music this dude has made from day one. I mean, if we’re talking about accessibility and getting the masses to pay a little more attention…the addition of vocals is practically never a bad move. What I love about the fact that after all this time, mentalEscape has decided to add vocals – yes – BUT…I mean, c’mon y’all…most would have played it so much safer, and had the lead part singing, instead of what’s essentially been spittin’ poetry. So hell YES I love that, because it’s anti-typical to the nth degree. You listen to tracks like “Success” and you can’t help but acknowledge that mentalEscape has got his eyes and ears set firmly on creating art every bit as much as music…and personally, I think that’s awesome. There’s so much space in that part of the scene to make an impact, and mentalEscape could really be onto something with what we hear on Numb. Where I will advise a little bit of caution, is just to keep conscious of the cadence/rhythm of the vocals…poetry can be very line-by-line type stuff that requires a real imagination to find ways to read it in a diverse way that won’t sound similar track after track. After three cuts on Numb, I can already notice the similarities between them with regards to what’s coming from the microphone…and my advice to mentalEscape is simple – you’re totally on the right track, but I’d highly recommend to prioritize making sure the vocals end up doing things as differently as the music does from track to track. Don’t get me wrong though, I’d take a cut like “Success” and everything I’ve heard so far on this record before spinning another album that’s simply loaded with another version of stuff I’ve already heard in some way, shape, or form. mentalEscape is making BIG MOVES creatively, and I’m absolutely here for it.
Is this a test? Are we looking to separate who’s really listening and paying attention, versus who’s not? “Flesh” = “Suffering” – doesn’t it? Here’s where I get worried about mentalEscape’s record after having such an extraordinary start. What are we doing with a repeat appearance here, my friend? Not even just a repeat appearance that’s going to be very hard for most folks to find the differences between…but from what I can tell personally, there’s just a little bit less punch in the production of this second version of the same song? I’m confounded…confused…befuddled…all that stuff and more – this is a bit of a head-scratching move that I don’t think I really understand. I’m almost always that dude that generally feels like the same song should never appear on one record twice to begin with, but in the odd event that I’ve supported it, it’s only ever been because the two versions likely sound completely different. I don’t think that mentalEscape has achieved that with how similar “Suffering” is to “Flesh” at the end of the day, so in this particular context, unfortunately all that happens here is that the longevity of a great song becomes threatened by repetition – listeners will potentially wear this song out at a 2:1 ration in comparison to the rest of the lineup. In my personal opinion, I don’t think that’s what mentalEscape wants to do, because “Suffering” is a seriously kickass track and it should really claim all the excitement it deserves. Having it reappear slightly watered down only two tracks later in the set-list is way too risky with very little potential upside…so I question this decision for sure, and feel like trimming this set to nine cuts would have been the best way to go. I’m not saying that you can’t, or shouldn’t put out a remix or whatever…sure, do that…as a single, on its own…because when you’re talking about the art of making an album, having a song appear twice is always a risky move, and this scenario highlights why.
And just like that, we’re back in the win column where mentalEscape belongs. “Dream” is a highly understated track, and as a result, chances are it’ll be a bit of an underrated song on this album as well. I mean…you know…hopefully it’s not overlooked by the listeners & the masses out there, but my gut tells me that at the very least, “Dream” is gonna have to fight a bit harder to get the attention that it truly deserves. Personally, I freakin’ love it. There’s something very in-your-head about this song, you know what I mean? It’s like mentalEscape has found a way to give a voice to our internal monologues. Side-note…I just found out fairly recently that not everyone even HAS an internal monologue, which is a scientific fact that has been continually blowing my mind for the past couple months. Anyhow…I guess for those of us that have one, you’ll understand what I was just referring to. For those of you that don’t, I suppose you’re as relegated to the dark as you normally are, so no harm, really no foul. mentalEscape has put together a genuinely high quality tune with “Dream” though…it’s got that delicate breakbeat to guide it along, the vocals are stunningly fluid, the words are smartly conceived & the imagery is strong. You could argue that “Dream” is perhaps less involved than many of the tracks you’ll hear from this Electro-based project if you like, and while I might agree on a fundamental or technical level, I’d argue right back atcha that this is also a solid example of a song having everything it needs, and nothing more. Anytime you’re doing right by supplying what the moment is calling out for, you’ll find me fully onboard.
The diversity I feel like I was somewhat craving in the vocals in the first third of this record is supplied in abundance as you head into the album’s midsection. Cuts like “Dream” and “Fearful” do a lot to switch things up and get the material shifting into more variable terrain, and I dig that. I also love that the poetic approach doesn’t need to be compromised in the process of doing that either, which you can tell is true because the proof is right here in the pudding. When it comes to this particular song, “Fearful,” I’d probably go as far as to say that it’s actually the vocals that save the majority of this track overall. I don’t know that it’s going to be quite enough at the end of the day…I feel like mentalEscape probably could have cut the cord on dragging that main melody line for too long rather than keep it as a constant element throughout the bulk of this song. Even as it switches up the vibe in its sound later within the final minute, we’ve kinda consumed more than enough of that pattern by that point, and it’s a really dominant trait in the mix that does somewhat threaten to take our ears off of all the rest of the stuff surrounding it. So…yeah…I mean…if you can cut through that enough to focus on the vocals, I think you’ll find that “Fearful” still has a bunch of cool ideas at the core of it all, and retains that poetic element that’s been such a strength throughout this record. I also like that we get an excellent performance in the vocals that seamlessly moves between the Spoken Word realm and full-on singing – both aspects are really strong parts of this song, and I like the concept revolving around the masks we all wear in the lyricism too. Musically, “Fearful” is probably not mentalEscape’s most compelling work, but it does provide the stage required to wax poetically & still seems to create the right kind of atmosphere.
LEMME TELL YOU DIRECTLY, where to find the ultimate GEM on this album though – it’s “Paths,” straight-up, full stop. I feel like I just wanna close up shop over here and spend the rest of this week with this song. I’m sure some of you others have created some good tunes for me to listen to, don’t get me wrong…but I very much doubt that any of you created something as amazing as “Paths,” because that’s how freakin’ RARE a moment in time like this really is. No joke folks…you have to have a mind that functions on a whole other level to be able to come up with something this good to begin with, and you have to have outright exceptional skills to not end up with something that has you falling flat on your face. It takes artistic courage to pursue something like “Paths” with its anti-typical melody. We’re talkin’ about that kind of track where everything will likely seem a bit off or sonically strange to you at first…to the point where you might even question whether or not something like “Paths” actually works at all. This is what it sounds like to your ears when they discover something that’s new or all together ahead of the rest of what’s out there. mentalEscape exceeds every possible expectation you might have had with how irresistible “Paths” is, and how insightful the lyricism you’ll find the words are inside this track as well. Everything about this song completely blew my mind. The performance in the vocals is mesmerizing…the ideas on how to produce it are staggering…the design of the melody and the music to go along with it – fully amazing. “You don’t know that the path from you to me, is not the same as the path from me…to you” – that’s gotta be one of the best lines in a song I’ve heard in years, and especially when you hear how it’s executed in “Paths.” It’s not the only impressive line you’ll find either – there are many. Impact-wise, it’s kind of like that first time you heard Lorde…a bit beautiful, a bit bizarre, but there’s something so oddly empowered, intelligent, and powerfully alluring to the sound. I will hear many great songs this year I’m sure, but there’s not a doubt in my mind that “Paths” will be among the greatest. Exceptionally creative…mentalEscape proves to be every bit of the visionary artist we know he is on this track, and with “Paths” delivers a song that’s light years ahead of the rest of the music scene.
I am no stranger to the ebb & flow of a record, and this is far from my first rodeo y’all…believe me, I’ve got the grey hairs to prove it. I know full well that when you hear a song that’s as much of a revelation as something like “Paths,” that whatever comes next, ain’t gonna be that. Doesn’t mean that it won’t be a decent song – for example, “Winter” is exactly that…it’s decent. Am I gonna rant and rave about it like I just did with “Paths?” No. I go into every experience with an open mind, but there are certain points where you know what you know, and the universal pattern practically never deviates from what you’d expect it to do. “Winter” played out precisely how I assumed this spot on the record would – and to be entirely honest with ya, I don’t know that it could have gone ANY OTHER WAY. That’s not necessarily a knock against “Winter” so much as it’s highlighting how undeniably unique and AMAZING a track like “Paths” truly IS, you follow me? I could get into how “Winter” probably doesn’t have my favorite lyrics and that the music doesn’t have that real X-factor you wanna hear…these are realities that are valid points to be made, but I’m tellin’ ya as plain as I can…whatever came after “Paths” would have struggled to gain our affection. Usually, when that’s the case, whether it’s intentional or not I don’t know, but just about every artist & band that has ever been lucky enough to stumble upon something as groundbreaking as a track like “Paths” will follow it with what could arguably be the least appealing track on the album. “Winter” has some stuff I dig about it…the production is still quality, the vocals are still well-sung, and I like additional elements added into the mix for that relevant combination of ambience & atmosphere too. Still poetic, and I dig that, even if I didn’t love every single word in this particular cut. In short, to sum things up, “Winter” does about as much as any track in this situation ever could have. It was never going to be “Paths,” and every one of us listening knew that the moment we put on “Paths” for the very first time. Your ears know special when they hear it. “Winter” is a decent song – “Paths” is the kind of track that reveals mentalEscape to be on a whole other level, and it’s not the kind of thing that comes along every day – it’s much more of a once in a lifetime scenario.
Alright…so…let’s be crystal clear – almost every record under the sun has its ups and downs, that’s very natural – and based on what I’ve cited throughout this review, you can see that Numb is no different in that regard. That being said, the material you’ll find to be exceptional on this record, pretty much proves that mentalEscape is all-out SUPERHUMAN when at his best. While it’s true that I knew “Winter” was going to be in the toughest position to make an impact coming after “Paths” – it’s also true that with just the slightest bit of space, as in, one track’s worth of space, you might very well find another cut on records like this that’ll leave you speechless for all the right reasons yet again. To which I’d point out that on any other album out there, “Rain” would probably be the number one track you’d hear. On this particular record, maybe it’s gonna be number two, or even three, because you’re essentially spoiled for choice when it comes to the selection of outrageously excellent music on Numb. And hey, if YOU think that “Rain” is THE cut of all cuts, and that it’s not “Paths” as I think I’ve basically argued that it is – to be truthful, I’ll give ya a high-five and respect your decision. To me, I think why “Paths” has the edge, comes down to how fresh and unique that moment feels like to me…and while “Rain” has elements of that feeling too, I suppose it has a few more similarities to other stuff we’ve been exposed to in music. Don’t get me wrong, “Rain” is a JAM that has found its way to reach the limitations of the volume on my stereo system ever since I started listening to this album – it’s a GOLDEN TRACK without question – so don’t think I’m not appreciating the awesomeness I’m hearing here. Like I was saying, what’s good on Numb ain’t just good, it’s true audible greatness that every set of functioning ears couldn’t recognize as anything else! The vocals on “Rain” are so freakin’ SICK and so brilliantly executed that it’s definitely one of the most savage highlights to be found in terms of what’s happening on the mic, and when you factor in the incredible depth & dimension of the music that comes along with it, there’s practically no way you could imagine this very track not becoming one of the most universally loved songs in the set.
I think that the people paying closest attention to the words and lyricism on this album will not only be significantly impressed with what mentalEscape has chosen to say with this record, but also how he’s gone about choosing to say it from such a philosophical perspective. Right down to the finish line on “Alone,” the words have remained one of the most impressive aspects of Numb, and I think there will be a lot of listeners out there that genuinely appreciate how different this album is from so much of what is out there in that respect. Heck, it’s practically educational! If you’re not too careful, you just might end up LEARNING something folks. Alright…maybe that’s true…maybe that’s my interpretation of what I’m hearing here. What I can tell you is this – from the art on display, to the intention you’ll find at the core of its message, it’s albums like Numb that help our society EVOLVE and move forward, whether we realize it or not. You get exposed to meaningful concepts and thought-provoking ideas…you get exposed to poetry and art…you get the outstanding production and quality of sound you know & love from mentalEscape as well – there’s so much about this record that hits a MASSIVE homerun for me, and I’m just as confident that there’s a ton of YOU that’ll feel the same way about it as I do. Tracks like “Alone” that might not be as consequential when it comes to why listeners might come back for another spin, given that it plays largely like an outro to finish things up on a concept record, still play a role that is ultimately just as vital when it comes to the scope of what mentalEscape wanted to communicate with all of us in making this record. One way or the other, Numb is going to make a lasting impression on you when you listen to it…and chances are, it’s because mentalEscape has somehow discovered yet another way to level-up in this project’s own evolution. This is one hell of a rad start to 2025, and such magnificently inspired material that it has left me miles and miles away from feeling Numb whatsoever.
You might even say that this album fills me with the hope that 2025 might be one of the best we’ve ever heard from mentalEscape, or in the independent music scene altogether, to-date. Fingers crossed.
Find out more music from mentalEscape at Bandcamp here: https://mentalescape.bandcamp.com
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